Recovered Chinese patient receives greetings from Sri Lanka's Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi (in red clothes) before being discharged from hospital in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Feb. 19, 2020. A Chinese patient who was found infected with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) while touring in Sri Lanka, was discharged from hospital here on Wednesday after being fully cured, Sri Lanka's health ministry said. (Xinhua)
COLOMBO, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese patient who was found infected with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) while touring in Sri Lanka, was discharged from hospital here on Wednesday after being fully cured, Sri Lanka's health ministry said.
The Chinese national bade farewell to the staff of the hospital after receiving treatment for nearly a month and was greeted by Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi and other health officials after she left the ward.
The health ministry said the Chinese national will depart for China later Wednesday where she will reunite with her family members.
"As the health minister, I am very happy that the tourist who contracted the coronavirus was successfully treated and she can return back to China, safely," Wanniarachchi told reporters after greeting the cured patient.
"It is also commendable that no other individual has been infected with the virus in Sri Lanka and for this I am thankful to the president for the swift steps he took to prevent the virus from spreading in Sri Lanka," the minister said.
The Chinese national had received treatment at the Infectious Disease Hospital, located in the outskirts of capital Colombo, where she was treated by a team of specialized doctors.
She was the lone patient to test positive for the COVID-19 in Sri Lanka so far.
