Health Ministry informs Parliament: New software to monitor tourists

The Health Ministry has informed Parliament that tourists visiting Sri Lanka especially Chinese nationals were being closely monitored through a new software in a bid to prevent the coronavirus being spread in the country.

Health Services Director General Anil Jasinghe informed this to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Health, Human welfare and Social Empowerment during a special meeting held in parliament yesterday.

Dr. Jasinghe said the software has been developed by a group of doctors together with the ICTA within two days and added that details of places of visits and lodgings of the visiting tourists will be monitored by the software.

He said Chinese tourists were being screened at the airport and added that follow-up of all the tourists were being done as it took two weeks to develop symptoms.

He also said that special security arrangements have been made at the Palali airport and Colombo, Galle and Trincomalee harbours.

Dr. Jasinghe said twelve Hospitals throughout the country have been prepared to facilitate during any situation and that the Borella MRI was also on red alert.

Sectoral Oversight Committee on Health, Human welfare and Social Empowerment Secretary Mayilwaganam Thilakaraj said a report in this regard would be presented in parliament at the next parliamentary session. (Ajith Siriwardana)