Sri Lanka issues new tough guidelines amid spike in COVID-19 cases 

Sri Lanka's health authorities have issued new tough guidelines, including banning wedding receptions and gatherings at religious sites, to prevent the spread of the coronavirus as the Island nation continued to record a spike in daily infections. 

For the fifth on Friday, the daily number of cases reported crossed the 1,000-mark. 

The country recorded several cases of the UK variant, which has a bigger mortality rate, health officials said. 

"We continue to monitor and place isolations on critical areas," Army chief Gen Shavendra Silva, the head of Covid prevention, said.  

He said the government was reluctant to order blanket lockdowns due to possible adverse economic impacts. 

Under the new guidelines, wedding receptions will not be permitted until May 21. No gatherings are allowed at religious sites. 

Events and public gatherings held at closed and open venues are being prohibited until further notice. 

Cinemas, kids playgrounds, swimming pools, pubs and bars, casinos and nightclubs, betting centres and spas will remain closed until further notice.  

The businesses will be allowed to operate with only 25 per cent capacity.  

Schools will remain shut until further notice. 

Sri Lanka reported 1,716 new cases on Friday, the highest single-day spike since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020.  

The country has reported 109,000 cases so far with 687 deaths.