Sri Lanka's areas under isolation since 23 November 2020

Sri Lanka's National Operations Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 has issued an announcement regarding quarantine measures since tomorrow (November 23). 

Following police areas which are isolated now will not be isolated since 5 a.m. November 23, 2020. 

Colombo District

• Borella (sans Wanathamulla Grama Niladhari Division)
• Wellampitiya
• Colombo Fort
• Slave Island (Sans Wekanda Grama Niladhari Division)

Gampaha district

• Jaela
• Kadawatha

Following police areas will remain isolated: 

Colombo district

• Mattakkuliya
• Modara
• Bloehmandahl
• Kotahena
• Grandpass
• Beach
• Aduruppu Street
• Maligawatta
• Dematagoda
• Keselwatta
• Maradana
• Pettah
• Dam Street

Gampaha District

• Negambo
• Ragama
• Wattala
• Peliyagoda
• Kelaniya

Kalutara district

Following Grama Niladhari divisions in Kalutara district

• Bogahawatta
• Bamunumulla (Muslim)
• Bamunumulla
• Korawala
• Atulugama 
• Galagahamandiya

Sri Lankan travelers no need to self-isolate on arrival in England

Sri Lanka was added to England's safe travel list on Thursday, November 19th. 

Travellers from Sri Lanka will no longer have to self-isolate on arrival in England from Saturday November 21st.

The other countries that were newly included to this facility are Namibia, Rwanda, Bonaire, St Eustatius & Saba, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

Sri Lanka does not provide this facility to any country. 

Sri Lanka intensifies surveillance via drones; Many arrested

Sri Lanka Police Media Spokesman Deputy Inspector General Ajith Rohana said a special operation would be conducted by the intelligence units to nab the violators of quarantine regulations. 

He said that stern action would be taken against such culprits. 

He pointed out that the use of drone cameras for surveillance was successful. Ninety-five persons had been taken into custody for violating travel restrictions, he said. The drone operations have taken place in the Kotahena, Ja-Ela, Keselwatta and Wattala areas.

"The beggars who are begging at colour lights will also be taken into custody," the police media spokesman said.

Sri Lanka police arrested around 300 persons since October 30th for violating quarantine regulations. 

Sri Lanka spends over Rs. 70 billion for COVID-19 operations - Prime Minister

Sri Lanka government has so far spent about Rs. 70 billion for tracing contacts, quarantine, pilot tests and welfare, the Prime Minister and Minister of  Finance Mahinda Rajapaksa said in the parliament at the Second Reading and the Committee Stage Debate on the Appropriation Bill 2020.

Sri Lanka has increased the number of hospital capacity treating the COVID-19 patients to 17 and the number of ICU beds for 600, the Prime Minister said. The capacity for conducting PCR tests has been increased from 7,500 tests to 10,000 tests per day. 

One test costs around Rs. 6,000 and daily expenses for PCR tests have exceeded Rs. 50 million. The government bears a heavy cost for food and welfare of the persons who undergo a 14-day quarantine.

The government also bears the costs of Rs. 5,000 allowance paid to the people who lost livelihood due to lockdowns and the expenses of the public officials who engage in COVID-19 related activities, the Prime Minister stated.  

According to Health Promotion bureau statistics, a total number of PCR tests performed in Sri Lanka so far is 627,011. Over 15,000 cases have been reported by now and over 10,000 of them have recovered and discharged from hospitals. 

Sri Lanka quarantined over 100,000 persons including more than 40,000 expatriate Sri Lankans who returned to the island. 

Sri Lanka decides to home quarantine COVID-19 patients' associates

Army Commander of Sri Lanka Shavendra Silva said that the associates of COVID-19 patients will be home quarantined since today. 

So far, the government quarantined the associates of COVID-19 persons in military-run quarantine centres. 

By now, the country has reached 90% of the capacity in hospitals for COVID-19 patients. 

Meanwhile, Government Medical Officers' Association proposed the government to treat the patients with less complications at home while admitting only the patients with complications into hospitals.