Sri Lankans advised against travelling abroad now - DGHS | Daily News

Sri Lankans advised against travelling abroad now - DGHS

All Sri Lankans are advised to postpone their foreign travel until the COVID-19 decreases worldwide. Otherwise they will have to undergo a 14 day  quarantine at designated Quarantine Centres once they return to Sri Lanka, Health Services Director General (DGHS) Dr. Anil Jasinghe said.

These centres are located in Diyathalawa, Batticaloa and Kandakadu.

Majority of the public support the process while unfortunately a handful of individuals are not cooperating. The key weapon in the COVID-19 fight is public cooperation.This is a National issue, Health Services Director General Dr. Anil Jasinghe said.

Addressing a press conference held at the Health Ministry Auditorium in Colombo yesterday he said health staff and those who suffer from flu like symptoms need to wear masks in public but the ordinary people do not need to wear masks as yet. What appears in social media in connection with the quarantine process is fabricated and inaccurate. Family members are not separated during quarantine and they will be kept together. Airline staff have already been prepared to protect from COVID-19 and it was done a long ago. Armed forces handle quarantine centres. They function successfully.There are 570 individuals in them.

According to Dr. Jasinghe, now it is confirmed that a 52 year male Sri Lankan tour guide was found positive for COVID-19. He, his family members, all the others who made contact with relevant suspicious parties have been traced and the family is now being quarantined at their home. He is from the Colombo district. The situation is under control. The Italian tourists who toured Sri Lanka with him had left Sri Lanka. At the moment there are 4,443 individuals are under surveillance.

Dr. Jasinghe said the situation will become a type of terror attack if the public does not cooperate. About 80 percent who died from COVID-19 are aged people and therefore it is a must for all Sri Lankans who return from affected countries to undergo the 14 day quarantine. Otherwise it is possible to pass the virus to the aged parents and relations at home and they can die from the disease.

 


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