Colombo: Sri Lanka’s daily new Coronavirus cases hit a new high of 137 on May 16 taking the total to 1,319 on driven by returnees from Kuwait as the island it will review repatriation flights in June.

Out of the daily total 127 were from a group of returnees from Kuwait and 10 were from a Navy cluster.

Sri Lanka’s President's Office said a meeting will be convened on May 27 to review the repatriation plan.

About 38,000 overseas Sri Lankans are awaiting repatriation, the foreign ministry has said.

Sri Lanka has said it was reviewing repatriation of overseas Sri Lankans after the spite in cases from Kuwait put pressure on the health system.

“Almost all the returnees from Kuwait were detainees at welfare centers or deportation centers in that country,” the President’s office said in a statement.

“It is also a requirement to provide medical treatments to the infected. In this context, it has been decided to revise the repatriation process for Sri Lankans living overseas.

“Flights in June to bring back Sri Lankans home will be planned accordingly.”

https://economynext.com/sri-lanka-coronavirus-patients-soar-137-to-1319-as-returnee-flights-reviewed-70374/