A Sri Lankan woman reacts as she receives a jab at a vaccination center in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Photo: Tharaka Basnayaka/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Sri Lanka on Sunday banned all public gatherings and advised people to avoid public spaces amid a worsening COVID-19 situation, AP reports.
Why it matters: The country is struggling to contain a rapid surge of cases as daily infections continue to rise, according to Reuters' tracker.
- Wedding receptions will be banned starting Tuesday, while restaurants can only operate at 50% capacity.
State of play: Hospitals and morgues are being overrun because of the surging case and death numbers, per AP.
- The country has held mass cremations to try to deal with the backlog of corpses.
- This month, the Sri Lankan Medical Association wrote a letter to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa expressing "grave concern" about the rapid spread of the virus and the lack of medical facilities for COVID-19 patients.