Sri Lanka’s coronavirus count crosses the 5000 mark
COLOMBO – Sri Lanka’s coronavirus tally crossed the 5000 mark on Tuesday (13), with yet another spike in the number of confirmed cases, all linked to the Minuwangoda cluster.
According to the Department of Government Information, 194 patients were confirmed as COVID-19 positive on Tuesday, taking the Minuwangoda cluster to 1591 and Sri Lanka’s tally to 5,038. All of Tuesday’s confirmed cases are workers at the Minuwangoda Brandix plant and those associated with them or the plant, the Department said.
Meanwhile, Police Spokesman Deputy Inspector General Ajith Rohana said hygiene and physical distancing guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health to contain the spread of COVID-19 will be gazetted in the next few days,
Noting that the laws have been created to meet WHO standards, Rohana said the gazette will provide clear guidelines on how to conduct oneself in a public place.
He said the gazette will be published under quarantine laws and warned anyone refusing to follow the guidelines would be punishable under the quarantine law of the country.
Earlier on Sunday (11), Minister of Health, Pavithra Wanniarachchi told reporters the azette notification will enable courts to impose “severe punishments” on those who violate Sri Lanka’s quarantine regulations.
The punishments will include arrests without warrant and a six-month prison term, she elaborated.
Wanniarachchi explained the gazette would make wearing face-masks in public spaces and maintaining a minimum physical distance of one metre in crowded places will be made mandatory by law, and establishments would be required by law to check the temperature of those who enter their premises.
“Those who violate these health provisions in areas declared as virus-infected can be penalized with a maximum fine of Rs 10,000 or six-month imprisonment or both,” she said.
Meanwhile, Army Commander Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva said all employees of the Minuwangoda Brandix plant have been traced and all COVID-19 positive persons cluster have been admitted to hospital. Their contacts have also been placed under quarantine, he said, adding that 85% of the families of the employees have also been directed to quarantine centres.
Silva said other patients identified in different parts of the country have also been directed to hospitals and quarantine centres.
On Monday (12), Dr. Jayaruwan Bandara, the newly appointed health ministry spokesman advised the public to take extra precautions as the virus detected in the Minuwangoda cluster had a very high virulence level with the ability to spread at a faster rate.
-ENCL