Govt suspends visa on arrival facility until further notice

The government has decided to suspend visa on arrival facility until further notice as an early precautionary measure to control the Coronavirus pandemic within the counrty, Government Information Department said.  

The move came in the wake of a Sri Lankan tour guide confirmed to be having Coronavirus has been admitted to the IDH hospital today. The Health Ministry today insisted that all those coming from South Korea, Italy and Iran will undergo the mandatory 14-day quarantine period at the designated quarantine facilities. 

Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi stated that all passengers coming from these three countries, where the Coronavirus is spreading rapidly, will be taken to quarantine centres. She urged all those coming from these countries to understand the situation and assist the Government to ensure that the virus does not spread in the country.  

The World Health organization (WHO) today declared that COVID 19- Coronavirus is pandemic while noting that in the past two weeks, the number of cases of COVID19 outside increased 13-fold and the number of affected countries has tripled. There are now more than 118,000 cases in 114 countries and 4,291 people have lost their lives