Colombo (ECONOMYNEXT): Sri Lanka has locked down a village south of capital Colombo after a confirmed coronavirus patient was found who had contacts with at least 26 persons, while nationwide curfews continue to combat the spread of Covid-19.

Sri Lanka recorded the second day with no new infections on March 27, since Sri Lanka’s Second Wave infections started with infections from Italy.

Sri Lanka has so far confirmed 106 cases, and 238 are in hospitals under observation. Six patients including a Wave I patient from Wuhan had recovered up to March 27 morning.

Surgical Lockdown

Sri Lanka has been aggressively quarantining arrivals, chasing down contacts and putting the country under curfew to contain the virus.

“In the Bandaragama divisional secretary area, in the village of Atalugama we found that Coranvirus case had close contacts with over 26 percents,” Sri Lanka’ Army Commander Shavendra Silva who heads an anti-Coronavirus task force in the island in a recorded video.

“These 26 persons have been quarantined in a centre in the same area.

“Under the advice of health authorities others are asked to be in self-quarantine.”

Atalugama had been put in surgical quarantine with police setting up barricades at all entry points. No one is allowed to enter or leave the village.

Meanwhile the military had also released another 501 persons from quarantine, taking the total released up to now to 1,174, General Silva said. In the quarantine centres 2,871 remain. Another 300 would be released on Saturday he said.
 
Sri Lanka has been aggressively chasing contacts of all confirmed Coroanvirus cases, while there are nation-wide curfews to prevent the spread of the disease.

Out of 106 confirmed cases 33 were from quarantine centres, who had returned from abroad.

“If these people were not quarantined, there would be big calamity in the country,” Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi said.

Sri Lanka has since barred all arrivals, whether foreigners or citizens.

The government on Friday asked overseas citizens to wait until the work currently being done to contain the diseases in the island is completed.

Many countries have closed borders, but many are also allowing citizens to return.

Vietnam which is also aggressively chasing contacts has so far quarantined

Under Watch

By Saturday March 28, 14 days had elapsed since a ‘Big Match’ between Colombo’s Royal and St. Thomas’ College where a Coronavius patient was found. The big match had been a key concern for authorities.

Other incidents include a father-son duo who had attended the Red Mosque in Colombo. In Jaffna, indefinite curfews are also in place after an infected Swiss pastor held a service and one of his associates were infected.

However the curfews have put severe economic hardship of day wage earners as well as companies.
A 6,000 rupee credit has been given to Samurdhi income supplement recipients.

The government has announced a multiple economic measures including credit relief.

Sri Lanka Ports Authority Friday exempted ships from entry fees and demurrage and shippers from warehouse rents and container storage charges.

Sri Lanka CB issues Coronavirus relief order to banks on small biz, vehicles, loans

Meanwhile Sri Lanka’s monetary policy continues to cause concern as it had done for nearly 70 years since and unstable soft-peg was set up in 1951.

Sri Lanka has injected large volumes of money into the credit system, despite not having either a reserve currency or a floating exchange rate undermining the credibility of the peg.


https://economynext.com/sri-lanka-village-in-covid-18-lockdown-as-zero-coronavirus-cases-reported-for-second-day-62580/