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Coming home: This time no parties and trips for Italy returnees
Usually when Sri Lankans living in Italy return home for the holidays it’s a time for parties and trips with family members. But this time it’s different, with many of them living in isolation, anxious that they may have contracted the globally rampaging coronavirus.
Health workers spraying disinfectants in Puttalam where hundreds of people are in self-quarantine
Newton Pathriana, a father of three, was aware that the situation was worsening in Italy, but he decided to return to Sri Lanka from Naples. He came here on March 7, just two days before all returnees were put under quarantine.
“I feared that I will not be able to go home because there was a process where returnees were being checked for symptoms of coronavirus. But after they tested me at the BIA I was allowed to proceed,” Mr. Pathirana said in a telephone interview with the Sunday Times.
Responding a government request Mr Pathirana notified the Mahawewa Medical Officer of Health and registered himself for self-quarantine. A team of doctors visited him at home and provided health advice.
On Friday the area Grama Sevaka accompanied by an army team visited him.
“I am now in self-quarantine. I miss the trips such as visits to Nuwara Eliya and the usual parties we have during my holiday here. But it is a difficult situation and we all must go through this process,” Mr Pathirana said.
He is one among thousands undergoing self-quarantine for a 14 day period since the government made the request.
Mr Pathirana has been advised to keep away from other family members. He has been asked to use separate cups, plates and towels. They have been told not to entertain outsiders and even visit the neighbourhood.
Although many who returned from Italy, South Korea and other European counties opted to register, follow medical advice and undergo quarantine, there were many others who ignored the government appeal and went on trips, pilgrimages and engaged in other social activities.
After several attempts by the government failed to get the Italy returnees in the Puttalam district to register with the authorities and following complaints that those who returned were moving about freely even on Wednesday, the government decided to clamp down a curfew to facilitate the quarantine programmes.
In some areas police and army teams were seen visiting homes advising the returnees to refrain from going on trips.
As many as 20,000 people from Marawila, Nathandiya, Chilaw, Dankotuwa, Kalpitiya, Wanathavilluwa and Pallam are in Italy and their relatives are worried about the worsening situation there.
Puttalam district Health Services Regional Director Dr Dinusha Fernando said 1,346 people had been placed under self-quarantine and more than half of them were confirmed to be negative while monitoring of the rest was still underway.