Colombo, Jan.25 (newsin.asia) – The Sri Lankan President’s office, on Sunday said steps were underway to evacuate around 150 Sri Lankan students who are in Chengdu, in the Sichuan Province within the next 48 hours following a rapid rise in the coranavirus cases in China which has killed over 50 people so far.
Additional Secretary to the President on Foreign Relations, Admiral Jayanath Colombage, said a special Sri Lankan Airlines charter flight had been deployed to bring home those evacuated.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has also instructed officials to bring back all Sri Lankans in China including students in Wuhan where the coronavirus is fast spreading.
“Once the traveling restrictions imposed on Wuhan city is lifted, all Sri Lankan students there will immediately be brought back. Their cost of air travel will be borne by the government,” a statement said.
Currently, officials are constantly in touch with the students across China through the “We Chat” system.
The President’s Office, Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Relations and Ministry of Health, Sri Lankan Embassy in Beijing and SriLankan Airlines have joined together in this exercise to bring all Sri Lankan nationals from China, the statement added.
Dr. Sudath Samaraweera, Chief Epidemiologist of Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health said those who are arriving from China would be subjected to quarantine at airport. Anyone suspected to be suffering from fever will be transferred to the IDH hospital. Their blood and urine samples will be tested at the Medical Research Institute for further clarification.
The Minister of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi has instructed medical officials to take all necessary measures. Sri Lankan Medical Research Institute possess the capacity to conduct required medical checkups. Director of the Medical Research Institute Dr. Jayaruwan Bandara said equipment and chemicals would flown to the country if necessary.
