In the midst of a sharp rise in daily COVID-19 infections and fatalities during the past week, Sri Lanka has decided to widen its vaccination drive, rather than locking down the country during a severe economic crisis, the Hindu newspaper reported.
Health authorities reported 160 deaths yesterday, the highest single-day tally recorded in the country so far. Daily cases are at an average of 3,000, comparable to the surge in May, when Sri Lanka experienced its third wave and identified the Delta variant within the community.