A group of Sri Lankan students stranded in India due to the COVID-19 outbreak was brought back to the country today (23) on-board a special flight (UL 1146) which arrived in the country this afternoon.
Addressing the daily media briefing of the National Operation Centre for the Prevention of Covid-19, Army Commander Lt. Gen Shavendra Silva said that 101 students who were stranded in India had arrived in the country today. “They were taken from the BIA to the Army operated Punani Quarantine Centre upon their arrival for quarantine. Further, during the next few days too students stranded in other countries, especially the SAARC countries, would be brought back to the country and directed for quarantine,” he added.
The Head of the National Operation Centre for the Prevention of Covid-19 also confirmed that 16 persons who had completed the quarantine process at the Army operated quarantine centres had been released today after they were subjected to PCR tests and was confirmed that they were not infected.
The Army Commander noted that currently there are 2744 persons in quarantine at 26 military operated quarantine centres around the country. So far, 4,266 persons who had completed their quarantine procedure have been released.
“On Wednesday 20 persons had tested positive for the Covid-19 virus and 13 of them were those who were taken to the Punani and Kandakadu quarantine centres from the Beruwala area. Another five who were taken for quarantine from the Colombo-12 Keselwatte area were also found to be positive. One other was a person who was taken to the Navy operated quarantine centre in Oluvil and he is from the Suduwella area. Another Navy other ranker from the Polonnaruwa area had also tested positive for Covid-19 yesterday. Accordingly, the Lankapura village has been placed under isolation. Further, the Navy barracks where the soldier had been residing in and those whom he had come in contact with have also been directed for quarantine and they would be subjected to the PCR tests.”
The Army Commander also noted that the Rapid Response motorcycle teams had been deployed today and the temperature of those on the roads engaged in essential services and others who were travelling on the streets for various reasons were randomly checked.