(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) – President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has instructed officials to closely monitor the self-quarantine process implemented to control the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus disease after the lifting of the quarantine curfew.
All families identified as associates of COVID-19 infected were subjected to self-quarantine in their own homes. Their number is close to 84,000 in 31,457 homes islandwide. In the Western Province 40,676 people are quarantined in 13,911 houses.
President Rajapaksa emphasized that those who are being quarantined should be properly monitored even after the curfew is lifted.
The President has given these instructions yesterday morning (05) at a meeting of the COVID Suppression Task Force which meets daily at the Presidential Secretariat.
The President has instructed that if infected people are found in the society, special attention should be paid to his or her associates and the areas to which they belong and to maintain them as isolated areas if necessary.
The need to pay special attention to estates and apartment complexes was discussed at length.
It was decided to restrict the economic centers to wholesale trade only. The President said that trade should be carried out with due diligence, following health advice and continuing PCR testing. Curfew permits are not required for lorries carrying essential goods, including vegetables and fruits, between districts.
All steps have been taken to continue operations in the Katunayake Investment Zone. The President also instructed to conduct random and continuous PCR tests in the trade zone under the supervision of the Ministry of Health and the Navy with the contribution of private hospitals.
Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Member of Parliament Madura Vithanage, Secretary to the President PB Jayasundera, Chief Adviser to the President Lalith Weeratunga and members of the Presidential Task Force were also present.
