01st April 2020 10:54:38 Hours
The routine Media interaction at the National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) at Rajagiriya took place this afternoon (30), headed by Mrs Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Minister of Health, Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva, Head of the (NOCPCO), Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army, Attorney-at Law Ajith Rohana, Deputy Inspector General of Police and Medical Specialist Dr Anil Jasinghe, Director General of Health Services.
Commenting on the status quo, Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva told the Media that 48 island-wide Quarantine Centres (QCs) continue to operate with 1964 returnees, including 18 foreigners. Another batch of 134 quarantined personnel left for their homes today (30) from Punani and Diyatalawa Quarantine Centers after the two-week long quarantine process. "To-date 1700 quarantined individuals from tri forces -run QCs have joined their families after their clearance certificates were received from medical authorities. They all would continue to remain indoors for two more weeks for observations. Similarly, one more batch would leave those QCs tomorrow too after completion of the quarantine process, "he added.
In another move, the Army was able to move out 498 Seethawaka FTZ employees who remained stranded being unable to find transport home. "We provided them with free transport facility to reach major destinations. Steps were also taken to take 68 personnel, suspicious of having associated with COVID-19 positive cases, detected from the general village area of Kadayanakulam in Puttlam to an Army-improvised QC. It operates in close coordination with the District Secretariat and Public Health officials in the region," Lieutenant General Silva added.
After detection of one positive COVID-19 patient from Jaffna, five divisional secretariat areas were isolated in a certain manner. This has helped to arrest the spread of the virus in the peninsula. Family members of the dead COVID-19 patient and his other associates are kept in quarantine eight different places at the moment.
"Akurana in Kandy area and Ataluwagama in Bandaragama area would continue to remain isolated and no one would be allowed in or out from those places until further notice. We also have requested family members of the dead COVID-19 patient in Nattandiya area and others who had come in contact with him in temporary rooms, etc to undergo the quarantine process for their own safety," Head of the NOCPCO explained.
Mrs Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Minister of Health urged everyone to cooperate to overcome this challenge, irrespective of any shortcomings. Although many developed countries have left those patients to die, HE the President and the Prime Minister and the government do not want any such situation to arise in our country as such. If you self quarantine and stay home, that would help in the arrest of this epidemic, she added. Further, Minister of Health pointed out that 5 members of the same family, including an infant of 4 month old in Chilaw, held were tested positive to the virus on Sunday (29).
Dr Anil Jasinghe added that 2210 persons who have kept in touch with 122 positive cases have been identified and isolated for quarantine purposes. He gave a breakdown of the virus patients, now lying in different hospitals too.
DIG Ajith Rohana said that nearly 7000 curfew violators and 1700 vehicles have been arrested. He urged those who have not yet registered after return from foreign lands to do so before 1st April 2020 or face arrests and criminal charges. bridge media | New Releases Nike
