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A total of 38 new COVID-19 cases were identified in the country yesterday, marking the highest number recorded in a day in the country, as 29 Navy personnel were diagnosed COVID-19 positive.
The second highest number, 33 new cases, was recorded on 20 April.
The spike in numbers was the result of 29 sailors from the Welisara Navy Camp testing positive for COVID-19 yesterday evening. The group was tested after a sailor who shared the same billet (sailors’ accommodation block) tested positive for COVID-19 in Polonnaruwa on Wednesday. On Thursday, the camp was placed under lockdown, and all personnel were ordered to report back and are likely to be tested.
According to National Operations Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 (NOCPOC) Head Army Commander Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva, the Navy commander declared the Welisara Camp an Isolated Camp on Wednesday and subjected the sailors who shared billet and office space with the infected patient to PCR testing. Some of the sailors who tested positive had been deployed to track and detain a group of persons who were absconding from quarantine in the Ja-Ela, Suduwella area, Lt. Gen. Silva said.
This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 368. According to the Health Promotion Bureau, there are 254 active cases in the country. Two new recoveries brought the total number of recoveries to 107.
In addition to this, 173 suspected patients remain hospitalised, including 22 at the Homagama Base Hospital and 12 at the Sri Jayewardenepura Teaching Hospital. The Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital, Kurunegala Teaching Hospital, and Kalutara District General Hospital have 11 persons each.
Sixteen persons who completed the quarantine process at the Punani Quarantine Centre left for home yesterday. A total of 4,366 persons have been released from the quarantine centres so far, and a further 2,744 persons remain at the centres.
In terms of curfew violations, 36,115 persons and close to 10,000 vehicles have been taken into custody since curfew was imposed, and DIG Ajith Rohana said violations under the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Act are punishable by up to six months imprisonment and fines.
He added that the Health Services Director General Dr. Anil Jasinghe, as per the Act, had given the Inspector General of Police (IGP) the authority to take necessary measures regarding those who do not adhere to safety guidelines even in areas where curfew has been lifted.
“As such, if an individual does not adhere to guidelines issued by health officers even when curfew has been lifted, they can be arrested,” he explained.
The Sri Lanka Police has taken additional measures to contain the spread of COVID-19, especially by restricting travel between districts, and 944 roadblocks have been set up in Police divisions, in addition to 262 roadblocks to monitor travel between districts.
Guidelines were also issued yesterday on the usage of public transport, and DIG Ajith Rohana said public transport must operate at 50% capacity. “If a passenger is entering a bus and can see that they are not maintaining social distancing, they must decide to wait until the next vehicle,” he added, emphasising that the responsibility to adhere to the guidelines was upon the public.
According to a statement issued by the Transport Management Ministry yesterday, the guidelines were introduced following a discussion between relevant authorities the day before. Travel between districts is prohibited, and only workers providing essential services can use trains. The head of these organisations will be required to provide a list of employees travelling by train to the Railway Department.
DIG Ajith Rohana also asked that heads of organisations ensure employees are subjected to regular temperature checks, and that the Police and health officials are informed about any persons with rising temperatures.
In addition to measures taken by the Sri Lanka Police, the Sri Lanka Army yesterday deployed Quick Reaction Team (QRT) riders to conduct random temperature checks on persons carrying out essential services, as well as those entering the Colombo District.
The Defence Ministry on its website stated, “The QRT with 20 Army riders will conduct random temperature checks on those people. SLA Chief Lt. Gen. Silva has introduced this method to strengthen the Government’s ongoing COVID-19 preventive mechanism in the Colombo District, which has been identified as the riskiest area for the spread of COVID-19.”
In addition to this, a group of 101 students were brought down to the country from India yesterday afternoon and are being quarantined at the Punani Quarantine Centre. Measures have been taken to bring down more Sri Lankan students in the coming days, starting with the SAARC countries, Army Commander Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva said.
The Government yesterday held discussions with representatives of Asiri Hospitals, Nawaloka Hospitals, Durdans Hospital, and Lanka Hospitals to discuss measures to expand the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing capacity in the country.
Accordingly, the four private hospitals will conduct 100 PCR tests a day, which will increase the daily capacity to 1,000 tests in the country. The Health and Indigenous Medical Services Ministry, in a statement, said that the State health sector currently conducts up to 800 tests a day.
