Colombo, January 4 (Daily Mirror) – State officials in all nine provinces across the island have been informed to identify vulnerable areas where possible COVID-19 patients could be detected and conduct on the spot PCR and antigen tests in order to identify possible undetected clusters, Army Chief and Head of the National Operations Centre for the Prevention of COVID-19, General Shavendra Silva told Daily Mirror.
Areas which have been marked as possible locations where tests will be conducted are open public spaces, markets, and congested areas.
In Colombo, residential areas and high rise buildings have also been added in the list which will come under a check, Health officials from the CMC said.
On Saturday, PCR and antigen tests were carried out at the Galle Face Green, where those present were tested. Nine people tested positive for the virus, Silva said, leading to concerns that there were asymptomatic patients moving in society.
“Our strategy now is that vulnerable locations will be checked that is why we checked in Galle Face as well. We will now check different places to ensure that no COVID-19 patients are around,” Silva said.
“While this is ongoing in the Western Province, we have asked the other districts to follow the same strategy,” he added.
Authorities have urged those gathering in public places to strictly maintain social distance and have their masks on at all times. With more areas now having the isolation status lifted in Colombo from today, people from these areas too have been strictly informed to adhere to the health guidelines when leaving their homes. (Jamila Husain)