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Sri Lanka Tourism Chairperson Kimarli Fernando has defended a decision to seek the further relaxation of Covid guidelines for travellers.

In a letter sent to the Director General of Health Asela Gunawardena, the Chairperson of Sri Lanka Tourism has also requested that the mandatory Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for fully vaccinated flight crew be removed.

Fernando sent the letter from Russia where she is on a visit to promote Sri Lanka for Russian tourists.

In the letter to Asela Gunawardena, Fernando has requested to remove the requirement of PCR tests 72-hours before boarding the flight for fully vaccinated passengers.

She has also requested the removal of PCR tests for children below the age of 12 in line with EU regulations.

Fernando has also requested Gunawardena to allow on-arrival rapid tests for fully vaccinated passengers on the tourist route and to be conducted at the airport.

Her letter drew strong criticism on social media saying if implemented it could pose a threat to airline crew and also the country. “Sri Lanka tourism has always been responsible. When health permitted arrivals from India, tourism route was opened for only fully vaccinated. The requests made are based on best practice,” Kimarli Fernando told Daily Mirror.

She also said that the global health pandemic should not be politicized and that Sri Lankan’s successful vaccination program and gradual changes made to protocols in line with global best practices will support the economy through December winter bookings.

A gazette notification has been issued today (5), setting a maximum retail price of Rs. 3,000 per oximeter.

The recent demand for oximeters had increased with the rise of COVID-19 cases in the country.

The Minister of Health, Keheliya Rambukwella has issued the relevant gazette notification under the Section 142 of the National Drug Regulatory Authority Act No. 5 of 2015.

The Head of Sri Lanka’s Catholic Church His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith has slammed the government for attempting to undermine the truth.

He condemned the government’s move to go to the international community to solve issues, especially about the 2019 April 21st Terror Attacks.

“This is a very secret plan that is being hatched by the government to try to undermine the truth, and to try to get international sympathy for their inactions, for trying to hide the facts, for trying to manipulate the entire event surrounding the Easter attacks,” he told a press briefing in Colombo.

He said, “We condemn unequivocally this attempt of the government to try to go to the international community and try to fool them with their sweet talk.”

His Eminence also slammed the government for attempting to seek an audience with His Holiness, the Pope, and mislead him.

The Catholic Church has been requesting transparent and independent investigations that are not politically motivated, over the Easter Sunday attacks, he said.

“The government has been pushing us from pillar to post. The Former Attorney General Mr. Dappula De Livera made a statement to a News 1st journalist Zulfick Farzan that this was a grand conspiracy,” he said.

The Cardinal went on to note that the Easter Attacks is a kind of a project, that is a grand conspiracy because a rag-tag band of 7 or 8 suicide bombers cannot do such a thing.

“They needed brainwashing over a long time, they need technology to find and make the bombs, they needed the conviction to commit suicide. All of this requires time and support. So there is somebody who is behind all of this. We want to know who that is,” stressed his eminence noting it is their right to know who that is.

“269 people were murdered in cold blood. Their body parts were hanging from the rafters of the roof of the church. Blood was splattered everywhere. Families were completely broken. Some people are still in wheelchairs and on beds. Permanently disabled. This was a terrible disaster. 47 foreigners from 14 countries were killed. I want to ask the international community to please defend your citizens who died here. The 14 countries, including the US, the UK, and Australia, Saudi Arabia, China. Those governments must rise up to this and call upon our government to do a transparent and independent investigation,” he told reporters.

He called on the foreign governments to apply pressure on the Sri Lankan government for a thorough investigation on the 2019 terror attacks and not to defend the Sri Lankan government on its ‘nefarious’ plan.

Speaking further, His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith said the fact that the Army Directorate of Military Intelligence having links with Zahran Hashim’s group, should be investigated.

“We feel like this is a tailor-made kind of investigation just to put a blame on someone and finish it off,” he said.

“There are indications in the Presidential Commission report that some people willfully prevented this incident from coming out and willfully did not do their duty to prevent it from happening. This government is trying to protect them because it is their interests,” he added.

“Why is the government trying to protect some people? Is the government part of the conspiracy? We have to deduce from that fact that the government is part of the conspiracy also. That they are trying to protect some people and not letting the conspiracy come out,” said the Head of the Catholic Church.

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Vaccination rollout for people aged between 20 and 29 is to commence in Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara and Galle Districts from tomorrow, Head of the National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) Army Chief General Shavendra Silva said today.

He said vaccination of those above 20 in these Districts would take place at the same vaccination centres operating at present.

He said vaccination of those aged between 20 and 29 would take place at Viharamahadevi Park, Diyatha Uyana, Panagoda Army Camp and Werahera Army Camp in Colombo District apart from the current vaccination centres.

He said People only in Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara and Galle Districts would be vaccinated under the vaccination drive initiated tomorrow.

184 COVID-19 deaths were confirmed for Monday (6), said the Director-General of Health Services on Tuesday. Total fatalities in Sri Lanka increased to 10,504.

According to the figures reported by the Department of Government Information today (07), the victims include 97 males and 87 females while four of the deceased, including 1 female, are below the age of 30.

Forty-six of the Covid-19 deaths are individuals between the ages of 30-59 and the remaining 134 are persons aged 60 and above.

145 COVID deaths were confirmed for Friday (3), Total fatalities increased to 9,951.

According to the Government Information Department, 68 females and 77 males are among the deceased.

A total of 117 people who are above 60 years of age are among the deceased while 24 of them are between 30 and 59 years of age.

Four deaths have been reported below 30 years of age.

180 COVID-19 deaths were confirmed for Sunday (5), said the Director-General of Health Services. The total number of fatalities in Sri Lanka increased to 10,320.

According to the Government Information Department, 83 females and 97 males are among the deceased.

A total of 133 people who are above 60 years of age are among the deceased while 40 of them are between 30 and 59 years of age.

Seven deaths have been reported below 30 years of age.

The Sri Lankan government has decided to further extend the quarantine curfew orders, currently enforced across the island, by another week.

Accordingly, the restrictions will be in effect until 4.00 a.m. on September 13 (Monday).

The decision to further extend the quarantine curfew was taken during the virtual meeting of the Special Committee on COVID-19 Control convened under the patronage of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa this morning (September 03).

Veteran singer, musician and leader of the popular band ‘Gypsies’, Sunil Perera has passed away at the age of 68.

He had reportedly passed away, a short while ago, while receiving treatment at a private hospital in Colombo.

Sunil Perera had tested positive for COVID-19 last month and was only recently discharged after recovering. However, it was reported yesterday that he had been readmitted to hospital due to a sudden illness.

Ivor Sylvester Sunil Perera, popularly known as Sunil Perera was a true veteran of the Sri Lankan music industry and a much-loved figure among artistes and fans alike.

Sunil Perera and his brother Piyal have been part of the ‘Gypsies’, one of the biggest and most famous musical bands in the country, for the past three decades with multiple hit albums and sold-out concerts here and abroad.

In 1969 as soon as he left school, Sunil joined the band The Gypsies created by his father, Anton Perera along with his brothers – Nihal, Lal, Nimal, Piyal and several others.

Sunil was the main vocalist of the band along with his brother Piyal Perera. Their first hit ‘Linda Langa Sangamaya’ was released in 1972/1973 along with ‘Amma Amma Me Mata’.

In 1980, Gypsies released their first cassette tape with the song ‘Kurumitto’. Other famous hits sung by Gypsies include ‘Kadapathakin’, ‘None Mage Sudu None’ (1977), ‘Lunu Dehi’ (1987), ‘Oye Ojaye’ (1989), ‘Piti Kotapan None’ and ‘Signore’ (1997).

Sunil’s recent works include the popular songs such as ‘I don’t know why’ which addresses mere sociopolitical issues through humor and 2017’s ‘Koththamalli’.

215 COVID-19 deaths were confirmed for Tuesday (31), said the Director-General of Health Services and the total number of COVID-19 fatalities in Sri Lanka increased to 9,400.

According to the Government Information Department, 100 females and 115 males are among the deceased.

A total of 167 people who are above 60 years of age are among the deceased while 46 of them are between 30 and 59 years of age.

Two deaths have been reported below 30 years of age.

Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 death toll pass the 10,000 mark with 189 deaths confirmed for Saturday (4). The total fatalities increased to 10,140.

According to the Government Information Department, 93 females and 96 males are among the deceased.

A total of 154 people who are above 60 years of age are among the deceased while 34 of them are between 30 and 59 years of age.

One death has been reported below 30 years of age.

The COVID-19 Death Toll in Sri Lanka passed the 9,000 mark on Tuesday (31) with 194 confirmed deaths for Monday (30).

The total fatalities in Sri Lanka increased to 9,185.

According to the figures reported by the Department of Government Information today (31), the victims include 100 males and 94 females while three of the deceased are below the age of 30.

Forty-five of the Covid-19 deaths are individuals between the ages of 30-59 and the remaining 146 are persons aged 60 and above.