Western Province curfew extended till November 9
COLOMBO – Sri Lanka on Sunday (Nov 1) extended the three-day quarantine curfew imposed in the Western Province by a further week, as the number of COVID-19 positive cases detected in the Province continued to surge. The curfew imposed at midnight on Thursday (Oct 29) was scheduled to be lifted at 5:00 a.m. on Monday (2).
The National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-l9 Outbreak (NOCPCO), announcing the extension on Sunday, said the curfew will continue until 5:00 a.m. November 9.
In a statement issued by the Government Information Department, NOCPCO said the curfew was being extended on the recommendation of the Director General of Health Services. It also said that in addition to the Western Province, quarantine curfew will be imposed in the Eheliyagoda Police Division in the Ratnapura District, Kurunegala Municipal Council area and Kuliyapitiya Police Division from 5: 00 a.m. Monday to 5.00.m. next Monday (9).
Army Commander Lt. General Shavendra Silva, in a televised address Sunday said the decision to extend the curfew was taken after more coronavirus patients were detected in the Western Province. “After analyzing the data we decided to keep the curfew in the Western Province from 5:00 a.m. tomorrow (Monday) till 5:00 a.m. November 09,” he said, adding that only people involved in essential services would be allowed to move.
Goods will made available via home delivery service from Monday, with the process used in the first half of 2020 being re-activated, he said, appealing to the public to limit travelling between districts and urged people in other provinces to also not travel between districts.
Meanwhile, Secretary to the Ministry of Health, S. M. Munasinghe urged those who have coughs and related symptoms to call the hotline – 0117 966 366 – and refrain from going to hospital on their own.
He said the virus strain in the new breakout was spreading faster because the viral loads were higher, and urged, “If an health official comes and asks to do a PCR test, please co-operate and stay at home.”
He also said COVID-19 positive cases with complications will be admitted to a ‘level 01’ hospital and others will be admitted to a treatment centre.
Munasinghe also urged those who have had contacts patients to home quarantine and not to move out of their house, assuring the government will provide help for people in home quarantine.
The South Asian island nation of 21 million people has reported more than 10,600 COVID-19 infections by Saturday (Oct 31), with more than two thirds detected in the past three weeks after a large number of garment factory workers tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
Last week officials warned the three-day lockdown could be extended depending on the pace of infections
The health ministry Thursday announced the suspension of all activities at public markets, economic centres, beauty salons, massage centres, spas, gatherings and meetings including religious activities in the Western Province until further notice.
Sri Lanka imposed a three-month lockdown until the end of June, with authorities lifting the restrictions after declaring there was no community transmission of the virus.
-ENCL