Sri Lanka's first COVID-19 patient recovers, discharged from hospital

Sri Lanka's first confirmed coronavirus patient completely recovered and was discharged from the hospital on Monday, authorities said.

A 52-year-old tour guide, who provided services to a group of Italian tourists, was the first COVID-19 case in the island nation. He was admitted to the IDH in Angoda on March 11.

The patient completely recovered, health officials said.

"He was discharged from the IDH this morning," they added.

Sri Lanka currently has 86 coronavirus patients with 227 people under observation, authorities said.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's office on Friday imposed a nationwide curfew from Friday until Monday to combat the fast-spreading coronavirus pandemic. The curfew which was to be lifted on Monday has been extended.

President Rajapaksa has convened an all party meeting on Tuesday to discuss the COVID-19 prevention operation.

He and former prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe exchanged accusations over the government's response to the crisis.

While Rajapaksa accused Wickremesinghe of trying to make political capital out of the situation, Wickremesinghe found holes in the government's COVID prevention work.

The COVID prevention work was entrusted to a special body under Army Chief Gen Shavendra Silva.

Countries around the world are sealing their borders and banning travel to stop the fast-spreading COVID-19 pandemic that has claimed over 15,000 lives with more than 307,277 cases reported in over 165 countries and territories, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

In view of the rising number of the novel coronavirus cases globally, Sri Lanka on Tuesday suspended all international flights arriving in the country.