No risk of COVID infection from tourists to the people of this country – Tourism Minister

(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) – Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga says that precautionary measures to be taken if a tourist is confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 are in place and the health authorities have taken further steps against the three Ukrainian tourists who were confirmed to be infected with COVID.

He points out that this situation will not hinder the pilot project to attract tourists to the country.

The Minister was commenting on the fact that three of the 180 tourists who arrived in the country from Ukraine on the 28th were infected with COVID.

Speaking further Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said the decision was taken to open the country to tourists with advance preparation in anticipation of such a situation.

“We had discussed with the health sector and prepared the necessary mechanism for that. Before arriving in the country, these tourists underwent a pre-PCR test. At that test they were not confirmed to be infected. They were subjected to a PCR test again after arrival in Sri Lanka and that is when three of them were confirmed to be positive for COVID,” the Minister explained.

He said the health authorities are taking necessary measures regarding the infected and stressed that the tourists will not interact with the people of this country. Therefore, there is no risk of the disease being transmitted from tourists to Sri Lankans.

“Even the employees of the hotels visited by these tourists are quarantined for 14 days after the tourists leave the relevant hotels and subjected to PCR inspection. Hotel employees are not allowed to leave the hotel during their stay,” the Minister said.

“We were ready for this situation. Therefore, there is no impediment to the pilot project to attract tourists. It works as planned,” he added.

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