Covid-19 outside WP under control : Army Chief

Priority on repatriating Sri Lankans in Middle East

• Commander said that more than 80 per cent of deceased were above the age of 50 years
• A flight will also depart to Saudi Arabia on the 30th of November

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya   

There is no risk of Covid-19 spreading out of control in areas outside the Western Province despite several cases being reported, Army Commander Shavendra Silva said. 

 He said most cases outside the Western Province had been reported from Covid-19 positive people travelling to other areas specially from Colombo.   

“Several cases were reported from the Nuwara Eliya District as a Covid-19 positive person from Colombo had visited the area to attend a festival held recently. Similar incidents were also reported from the Maskeliya area. I cannot say that there will be more clusters emerging in the future. People should act in a responsible manner. However, we have brought the situation under control,” the Commander said.   

Meanwhile, a total of 337 Covid- infected persons were identified on Monday and 189 of them were reported from the Colombo District.   

Sixty eight cases have been reported from the Hulftsdorp Police area while 22 cases were reported from Colombo 13, 25 from Grandpass, 19 from Colombo- 15, 15 from Dematagoda and 14 from Borella.   
A total of 47 Covid patients have been reported from the Gampaha District and 22 of them were reported from Veyangoda.   

In addition, 11 cases were reported from the Puttalam District,  six from Kurunegala, 11 from Nuwara Eliya,  three from Ratnapura, six from Kalutara, eight from Kandy and one each from Polonnaruwa , Anuradhapura, Galle and Kilinochchi Districts.

   
Commenting on the deaths due to Covid-19, the Commander said that more than 80 per cent of deceased were above the age 50 years.   

Meanwhile, the labour housing scheme on Church Road in Wattala had been isolated after 35 Covid-19 infected people were identified.   

Commenting on repatriating Sri Lankans stranded overseas, the Army Commander said that priority had been given to repatriate Sri Lankans stranded in the Middle East countries.   

He said the government would focus more on Sri Lankans in the Middle East and then to other countries as much as possible.   

“About 326 people arrived in Sri Lanka from Kuwait on Monday and 188 were scheduled to be flown from Doha, Qatar yesterday. Our people in those countries are placed in a very difficult situation. A flight will also depart to Saudi Arabia on the 30th of November,” he said.   

The Commander said that they have informed the respective Embassies through the Ministry of External Affairs with regard of despatching aircraft to those countries over the next week.     

• labour housing scheme on Church Road in Wattala had been isolated after 35 Covid-19 infected people were identified
• government would focus more on Sri Lankans in the Middle East and then to other countries as much as possible