Colombo: The number of COVID-19 patients in Sri Lanka rose to 1548 after 18 people tested positive for the virus on Friday, the health ministry said.

Among the 18 patients who tested positive for the virus, 11 were expatriates who returned to the country, while seven were navy personnel, the ministry noted.

Official figures showed that nine more people had recovered from COVID-19, bringing the total number of recovered patients to 754.

There are 784 patients currently receiving treatment at state hospitals, according to the health ministry.

COVID-19, a respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus, had started spreading in the South Asian island nation on March 11.

Ten people have died due to the virus in the country, the health ministry said.

https://www.newsfirst.lk/2020/05/29/sri-lankas-covid-19-cases-rise-to-1548/