COVID-19 kills 7 more Lankan migrant workers

By Piyumi Fonseka

Seven more Sri Lankan migrant workers in Middle Eastern countries have died due to COVID-19 within last week, increasing the death toll to 42, the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau (SLFEB) told the Daily Mirror today.  

By July 9, there were 35 COVID-19 deaths of Sri Lankans who were working in Middle Eastern countries. According to SLFEB Spokesperson Mangala Randeniya, the deaths have been reported from United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Lebanon.   

Randeniya said the government had taken action to provide compensation to the families of all the 42 migrant workers. The 42 victims include workers whose registration with the SLFEB had expired and also unregistered workers. Despite their registration and legal status, all of them will be compensated, Randeniya further said.  

Meanwhile, despite strict health and travel restrictions in force, the Middle Eastern countries are still reporting rising numbers of new COVID-19 cases.