Sri Lanka reports new record-high number of Covid-19 cases in a day
From journalist Iqbal Athas in Colombo, Sri Lanka
Health workers wearing protective gear collect swab samples from residents to test for Covid-19 in Colombo, Sri Lanka on May 4. Ishara S. Kodikara/AFP/Getty Images
Sri Lankan authorities reported another 2,659 Covid-19 cases on Monday, a new single-day record for the island nation.
Sri Lanka's spike comes as other countries in South Asia, especially India, are battling their own surges of Covid-19 and shortages of equipment to treat the rising number of cases.
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has asked China to help supply Sri Lanka with oxygen supplies such as nasal inflow machines and oxygen regulators.