Colombo, April 4 (newsin.asia): The Sri Lankan government has said that there is a possibility that the curfew imposed on districts which are not in high risk of being infected by the coronavirus, could be lifted by the end of the Sinhala New Year season.
The Sinhala New Year is celebrated on April 13 and 14 but the celebratory season could extend by a week.
At a high-level meeting presided over by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, here on Saturday, the progress of the COVID-19 prevention program was reviewed and decisions on the steps needed to be taken were made.
“It was observed that except for the few districts identified as high risk zones where the most number of COVID-19 patients were found, the spread of the virus at present does not pose a threat to the other districts. Therefore, there is a possibility that the current restrictions imposed on these districts (those not in the high risk category) could be lifted by the end of the Sinhala New Year season.”
“The current prevention program will continue as it is until this period. Thereafter, a decision as to the next step to be taken, will be considered after further studying the situation,” the Presidential Media Division said in a statement.
In other words, the curfew in the “high risk” districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Puttalam, Kalutara and Jaffna will continue, while in the case of the other districts, which are not “high risk” it is likely to be lifted after the Sinhala New Year season.
On the meeting with the President, the press statement further said: “The President of Government Medical Officers Association Dr Anuruddha Padeniya analyzed the manner this virus had affected the country geographically and the government’s actions to control the epidemic. It was noted that the government’s timely actions from when this virus first entered the country helped manage to keep the situation under control,” the press release said.
“It was also noted at the discussion, that the steps adapted henceforth had helped officials to correctly identify both the infected and those who had been compromised due to associating with the infected. However, it was also perceived that the danger is yet to pass.”
“Not only COVID-19 positive patients, but also those suspected to have contracted the virus and those who had been in close association with these two groups will be regularly and repeatedly tested. This is in line with the procedures followed by countries that have successfully brought the spread of this virus under control.”
Rumours of Total Lockdown Denied
Meanwhile, the Lankan police spokesman, Ajith Rohana, said that “rumoors spread about a compete lockdown in the country are baseless. These rumours are being investigated by the Crime Investigation Department.”
Defense Secretary Maj.Gen (rtd). Kamal Gunaratne said in a statement in the website www.defence.lk that those who are spreading the rumour that there would be a five-day total local lockdown are doing so to “create a fear psychosis among the public” and added that “no such decision has been taken by the government so far.”
The General asked people not to be misled by these rumours and that police will deal with these rumourmongers.
