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Seven police areas in Colombo, Kalutara, Kegalle and Kurunegala districts were withdrawn since tomorrow, the Army Commander said.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Meanwhile, travel restrictions out of the Western Province will be withdrawn since midnight November 15.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.

Doctors' Association (GMOA) of Sri Lanka wants travel restrictions to risk areas

Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) of Sri Lanka protested the withdrawal of curfew in the entire Western Province on Monday without proper study. 

Haritha Aluthge, editor of GMOA said that there was a threat of the coronavirus spreading throughout the country if the country is opened without necessary precautions like travel restrictions to risk areas. 

He said that the creation of new clusters must be prevented and the already identified clustered managed. 

Sri Lanka suspends travel between districts

Sri Lanka has decided to suspend travel between districts except for essential services. The decision was announced after a discussion with the Presidential Task Force on the Prevention of COVID-19  

Addressing the participants of the discussion, Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that the government's policy of quarantining the COVID-19 suspected persons at home was successful. 

At a discussion held at the President's office today, the President advised to further enhance the programme with the monitoring of Medical Officer of Health, Public Health Inspector, police and Army. 

PCR tests are carried out on the 10th day of the quarantine period and the healthy persons will be sent back to normal life after 14 days. 

The President further advised all persons who had undergone PCR tests either public or private sectors to be placed under quarantine until the report is received.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa advised officials to strictly impose isolation and curfew measures to control the spread of the disease. 

Chief of the Presidential Task Force on Economic Revival Basil Rajapska said that essential commodities would be distributed as it was done in the previous curfew time. 

The monthly allowance of the elderly persons would be delivered to their homes, Basil Rajapaksa said. 

The curfew in the entire Western Province will be effective until 5 a.m. on November 9th. The same curfew is valid to Eheliyagoda police division in Ratnapura district, Kurunegala Municipal Council area and Kuliyapitiya police division in Kurunegala district. 

Police were ordered not to issue curfew permits during this period. 

Ministers Pavithra Wanniarachchi and Ramesh Pathirana, State Ministers Sudarshani Fernandopulle, Channa Jayasumana and Seetha Arambepola and President's Secretary Lalith Weerathunga also participated in the discussion with the members of the Presidential Task Force on the Prevention of COVID-19.