Most Kuwaiti returnees lived in safe houses, detention camps

• Some showed symptoms at the quarantine centre
• Others had to undergo PCR tests
• Returnees were living in unhygienic conditions

By JAMILA HUSAIN  

A majority of those who have returned from Kuwait recently and tested positive for COVID-19, were living in unhygienic conditions in that country including safe houses and detention camps, while some had overstayed on their visas, which was why the virus had spread quite easily, a senior medical official told Daily Mirror last night.  

 The Kuwaiti government had sent several requests to the Sri Lankan government to repatriate its nationals as soon as possible due to a vast spread of Coronavirus in Kuwait, and it was due to this, urgent steps had been taken to bring them home.  

Once they had arrived in Sri Lanka, some of them had shown symptoms of virus infection at the quarantine centre, while all others had to undergo PCR tests. In addition to those who had shown symptoms, several others tested positive for COVID-19 while being under quarantine at the Minneriya quarantine centre.  
The Daily Mirror learns that at least two of the Kuwaiti returnees are under critical care at the IDH.   
When the senior medical official was asked for his views whether the Kuwaiti returnees were carrying the Italian version of the coronavirus, the official said it was still to early to tell and all were under further observation. However, he said the situation was under control and the doctors here could treat them successfully.   
Till last night, the total number of COVID-19 infected persons jumped to a whopping 1,469 with 150 patients reported within a single day.  

Out of the total 134 cases, 81 are under quarantine after returning from abroad.   

On Tuesday, out of the total 137 new patients reported, 127 were returnees from Kuwait who were at the quarantine centre.  

Till last evening, out of the total infected to date, 732 had recovered and been successfully discharged.