Two people have died so far from being infected with the COVID-19 variant that is spreading across Sri Lanka, health officials said. 

The Chief Professor of Medicine at the Northwestern Medical Faculty, Dushantha Medagedara, revealed this while participating in a media briefing held at the Health Promotion Bureau (HPB) yesterday.

Addressing the media, Dushantha Medagedara said, according to the Sri Lankan Institute of Virology, between 9% to 13% of patients with respiratory issues are currently infected with the new strain of COVID-19.

He further said that this COVID-19 infection is of very low severity and its harmful effects are very minimal.

“However, for patients over 65 years of age with weakened immune systems, this can be serious. Such people should be careful about this. There have been two deaths in Sri Lanka, and both due to complications,” he said. 

Dushantha Medagedara pointed out that Sri Lanka does not have a serious situation at the moment and that there was no need for unnecessary panic. 

He warned that, however, specific groups, those with respiratory illnesses, should be concerned and vigilant.