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COVID-19: Tough measures on the cards; Italy returnees tested negative
View(s):Two Sri Lankans who returned from Italy, now at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID), have tested negative for COVID-19 as fears mounted with more countries across the world falling under the onslaught of the new coronavirus.
The screening process underway at Bandaranaike International Airport
Passengers on direct flights from China and now also from South Korea and Italy to Sri Lanka are channelled through a separate entrance and screened thoroughly.
Those on these flights come down gangways, board buses and enter the airport through a separate entry-point, where they are screened well. Those on other flights, walk into the airport directly through an aerobridge, it is learnt.
Several recommendations to introduce additional measures to ward off the new coronavirus from entering Sri Lanka are on the table, following meetings this week of the National Committee headed by Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi and the Technical Committee headed by Health Services Director-General Dr. Anil Jasinghe, the Sunday Times learns.
Dr. Jasinghe, when contacted by the Sunday Times, declined to specify these measures as they were awaiting ratification by the government.
When asked about the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance, he said in certain eventualities this law could be invoked and this could vest the Health Services DG with a lot of power including implementing a lockdown, movement restrictions and home-quarantine.
Two of the countries affected by the new coronavirus are South Korea and Italy where a large number of Sri Lankan migrant workers are based.
There are a few Sri Lankans who are in the quarantined areas in Lombardy and Veneto regions in northern Italy, but none of them has fallen victim to the virus, said Foreign Relations Ministry spokesperson Ruwanthi Delpitiya yesterday.
According to information from the Sri Lanka Embassy in Rome and the Consulate General Office in Milan, as of yesterday, the total number of COVID-19 infected persons in Italy had risen to 821 with 17 deaths, she said.
“The Foreign Ministry with the Sri Lanka Embassy in Rome and the Consulate General Office in Milan continues to monitor and coordinate efforts to ensure the safety of the Sri Lankans in these areas,” she added.
In Seoul, the Sri Lanka Embassy, meanwhile, has informed that the number of people who have contracted COVID-19 has increased to 2,931 as of yesterday, with 16 deaths.
Ms. Delpitiya said no Sri Lankan in any location in South Korea, including Daegu, was suspected to have contracted COVID-19 or was being treated for any of the symptoms of the disease.
Sri Lanka has so far had only one imported case of the coronavirus. The Chinese woman tourist who was detected with COVID-19 on January 27, was treated and managed at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID). She was discharged on February 19 after two tests came negative and left for home in China.
Meanwhile, according to the Epidemiology Unit, the NIID has two ‘suspected’ cases; the Ratnapura Teaching Hospital – 2; the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital – 2; the Gampaha District General Hospital – 1; the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital – 1; and the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children, Colombo -1.
As the new coronavirus spread, Saudi Arabia temporarily halted the entry of pilgrims on visits to holy sites, in an attempt to slow the spread of the disease.
The Saudi government has decided to suspend visas for Muslims seeking to visit Mecca and Medina, while restricting the issuance of visas for tourists from countries with confirmed cases of the virus.
Millions of Muslims journey to Saudi Arabia especially during Ramadan, which begins towards the end of April and also embark on the Hajj pilgrimage in July.