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Sri Lanka Army

Defender of the Nation

15th March 2020 20:12:40 Hours

NO REASON FOR PANICKING & NO SUCH HOME-CONFINED SELF-QUARANTINE MOOTED

(SPECIAL COMMUNIQUE)

It has been observed that the public en masse have been thronging food stores and market places to purchase excessive stocks of food varieties on the premise that detection of a few ‘COVID-19’ virus-infected cases in the country would force people to be confined to their residences for quarantine, being unable to move out for some time.

Such unnecessary panicking of the public and their bulk ‘buying spree,’ which has led to sudden scarcity of essentials in shops and malls appear to have been incited by certain elements with vested interests and largely based on unfounded rumours that spread misinformation on self-quarantine. Those bulk purchases in this manner would definitely lead to artificial shortages of essentials, which is not the case at all in the country.

Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva who has been functioning as one of the main coordinators for quarantine procedures has been advised by HE the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to keep the public informed of ground realities and deny having any such plan for quarantine as alleged. Needless to reiterate, detection of just two confirmed cases does not in any way mean it has assumed epidemic proportions either.

The public is also kindly informed that Armed Forces, engaged in quarantine procedures or the Government or Health Ministry officials have not taken any such decision whatsoever to the effect of quarantining the public inside their residences. While requesting the general public not to be misled by some social media posts, Health Ministry and the Armed Forces assure that the public would be unfailingly advised well in advance, if at all any such move for quarantine were to be implemented in future. (Ends) Running Sneakers | Air Max