New areas under isolation; many areas relieved; travel restrictions removed in Sri Lanka

Chief of Sri Lanka National Operations Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) Army Commander Shavendra Silva said that Maradana, Fort, Pettah, Slave Island and Dam Street police divisions in Colombo city would be isolated since 5 a.m. Monday, 16 November. 

Seventeen police areas in Colombo district are now isolated. The other areas are Mattakkuliya, Modara, Bloemandahl, Kotahena, Grandpass, Coastal, Aduruppu Weediya, Maligawatta, Dematogoda, Wellampitiya, Borella and Keselwatta.

Seven police areas in Colombo, Kalutara, Kegalle and Kurunegala districts were withdrawn since tomorrow, the Army Commander said. 

Kelaniya police area will be under isolation since 5.a.m. on Monday, November 16.

Ja-ela, Negambo, Ragama, Wattala, Peliyagoda and Kadawatha areas of Gampaha district will remain isolated.   

Peliyagoda, Pamunuwa and Sapugaskanda police areas in Gampaha district which are isolated now will be freed since 5 a.m. Monday, 16 November. 

Horana, Ingiriya (police divisions) and Wekada West Grama Niladhari Division in Kalutara district also will be freed since 5 a.m. tomorrow. 

Mawanella, Ruwanwella police divisions in Kegalle district and Kurunegala Municipal Council area and Kuliyapitiya police division in Kurunegala district will also be relieved from isolation since tomorrow. 

All areas under isolation will remain in that state until further notice. 

Meanwhile, travel restrictions out of the Western Province will be withdrawn since midnight November 15. The travel restriction was in force since midnight November 11.

More areas locked down, more COVID-19 deaths and more cases diagnosed in Sri Lanka

Homagama, Moratuwa, Panadura North and Panadura South have been included anew to the police areas of Sri Lanka which are under quarantine curfew. Accordingly, over 60 police areas are under quarantine curfew now. 

The government isolated Hatton town also yesterday due to spread of COVID-19. 

The number of COVID-19 patients diagnosed yesterday was 457 and three deaths occurred during the day. 

Meanwhile, the media reported yesterday the President had told at the cabinet meeting that the country would not be shut down due to COVID-19 spread. Instead, travel restrictions would be imposed in areas the disease is spread more. 

Meanwhile, the people in locked down and isolated areas lament about the loss of livelihoods while the people in other areas complain about paralysed transport services.  

The government says the shops would be open for two days in locked-down areas for people to buy commodities. The public employees in those areas are considered working while the government says that the agreement with the private sector to pay salaries of the workers has been extended by the government until December.