Curfew in 6 SL districts to continue indefinitely

A curfew currently in force in Sri Lanka's Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutura, Puttalam, Kandy and Jaffna districts would continue until further notice due to the rising number of coronavirus cases in the country, the Presidents Media Division (PMD) said on Sunday.

In all other districts across the country, the curfew will be lifted at 6 a.m. on Monday and will be re-imposed at 2 p.m. on the same day, the Daily Mirror newspaper said citing the PMD as saying.

Meanwhile, Atulogama in Kalutara district and Akurana in Kandy have been declared completely isolated areas.

No one will be allowed to enter or leave from these two villages, the PMD said.

Travelling to and from all districts is completely prohibited except for the purpose of providing essential services.

Those who violate the measures introduced with the aim of continuing essential services will severely be dealt with according to the law, the PMD said.

Since the sole purpose of these measures is to ensure the well-being of the people of this country in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has requested the public to strictly follow the guidelines in a responsible manner, it added.

Sri Lanka has been under the nationwide curfew since March 20.

On Saturday, Sri Lanka reported its first coronavirus death, a 60-year-old man who was kept under critical care at the National Infectious Disease Hospital on the outskirts of Colombo.

The Health Ministry said that presently 113 patients were confirmed with the virus in Sri Lanka after five patients tested positive on Saturday.

So far, nine patients had been discharged after fully recovering from the illness.

A total of 199 people remained under observation in designated hospitals across the country. IANS