Coronavirus under control, says Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa as sailors test positive
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At least 68 sailors were infected with the virus at the Welisara naval base, with another 27 who had reportedly gone on leave also testing positive.
Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said today that coronavirus pandemic is under control while asserting that the sudden risen in the number of cases will be dwelt with by authorities.
Last week sailors were infected with COVID-19 in a naval base near Colombo with the number of virus cases suddenly increasing to 477 reported cases. At least 68 sailors were infected with the virus at the Welisara naval base, with another 27 who had reportedly gone on leave also testing positive.
Reports said at least 400 sailors were infected but results were not out yet. The naval base which included thousands of sailors and their families was placed under quartine.
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has called a meeting of members of the previous Parliament for meeting next week as the country stares at a financial crisis due to the virus.
Meanwhile, authorities said the curfew regulations will be relaxed to open state and private enterprises from May in Colombo. Relaxation in curfew across districts has already been undertaken by local authorities to allow people to move around even as the president's office declared that curfew would be imposed throughout the island from April 30 to May 4.
Despite the gradual relaxation, schools and universities contiue to remain shut with people asked to stay at home with trip s and functions banned for the present moment.
Sri Lanka's doctors' trade union had earlier appealed to the governnent to increase testing to contain the spread of COVID-19.