The number of cases in the recently-emerged COVID-19 cluster at a garment manufacturing facility in Sri Lanka's Gamapaha district has increased to 1,034, rasing the island nation's overall infection tally to 4,459.

On Wednesday, 202 new cases linked to the facility located in Minuwangoda were reported, reports the Daily Financial Times newspaper.

The new figure makes the Minuwangoda the largest cluster identified in the island nation, with the Welisara Naval Camp cluster affecting 950 Navy personnel and their contacts and the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre cluster affecting 651 persons.

The Information Department said all the infected people from the facility were currently under quarantine.

A total of 729 positive cases were reported on Tuesday in the cluster, accounting for the highest number of single-day spike.

As of Thursday, there were 1,172 active cases, while 3,274 others have so far recovered.

According to Health Promotion Bureau statistics, a total of 303,381 PCR tests have so far been carried out with 4,480 tests on Tuesday, the highest number of PCR testing on a single day.

While investigations to locate the source of the cluster continue, the Sri Lanka Police on Wednesday announced that indefinite curfew has been imposed in Seeduwa, Ja-Ela, Kandana and Divulapitiya.

Curfew has also been imposed in Gampaha, Ganemulla, Kirindiwela, Dompe, Malwatuhiripitiya, Meerigama, Nittambuwa, Pugoda, Veyangoda, Minuwangoda, Viragula, Weliweriya, Pallewela and Yakkala.

While curfew is in place, persons of these areas will not be permitted to leave the house and no one can enter or exit these areas.

Long distance buses will be permitted to travel through these areas but buses and trains will not be permitted to stop or pick or drop passengers.
(IANS)