It's been 5 years since Vishmika, who was involved in the chemical testing of Corona patients, passed away.

No matter how fast time flies, some tears etched in the deepest corners of our memory never fade. A few years ago, when the whole world fell victim to a terrifying pandemic, and we lived daily amidst the shadows of death, one unfortunate incident that deeply shook our hearts during that dark period resurfaces in our memory on a day like today.

It was June 2021. A particular name added to the ever-lengthening list of COVID deaths captured the attention of the entire nation that day. The reason was the sudden demise of a 22-year-old young woman who was experiencing the spring of her life. Her name was Udari Vishmika, a resident of Ambalangoda, Galle.

Udari's family story makes this tragedy even more poignant. Her loving mother and father were already abroad, toiling for her future. Even without the shelter of her parents, she was working at a medical laboratory called 'City Lab' in Ambalangoda town with the aim of building her life. In that institution, which was filled daily with people coming for blood tests and various health reports, she performed her duties adhering to strict health safety protocols. However, it is believed that the invisible killer might have secretly entered her body from a patient who visited her workplace.

Due to sudden physical discomfort while working at the laboratory, Udari was first admitted to the Ambalangoda Divisional Hospital. Initially, even doctors speculated that it might be another common illness. However, by the time the results of a subsequent PCR test confirmed she was COVID-positive, it was already too late. Unexpectedly, her condition worsened severely within a very short period, and steps were taken to urgently transfer her to Karapitiya Teaching Hospital for further treatment.

However, all those medical efforts and the prayers of her loved ones were confined to tears, as Udari breathed her last on June 18th. Medical reports stated COVID pneumonia as the cause of her death.

The departure of Udari Vishmika, who bid farewell to life at the very young age of 22, without the warmth or presence of her beloved parents, deeply shocked not only her friends but the entire society that day. Her tragic fate, even years later, silently reminds us today that the COVID pandemic snatched away not just breathing people, but also countless blossoming hopes.