Quarantine Centres in Punani and Kandakadu now ready: Army Chief

Chief of Defence Staff and Army Commander Shavendra Silva said the tri-services once again shouldering the national responsibility of containing any possible transmission of deadly 'Covid-19' (Coronavirus) in the country in close collaboration with authorities in the Ministry of Health & Indigenous Medical Services and the Ministry of Defence have now finalised arrangements to quarantine foreigners and Sri Lankans arriving here after accommodating at least 2000 to 2500 of them for a fortnight in two improvised quarantine Centres in Punani and Kandakadu, in addition to planned accommodation of 300 more in Diyatalawa as well in the event of any emergency.

Hundreds of Security Force personnel under the Security Force HQ-East in the past 48 hours have been upgrading the requirements in both quarantine Centres at Punani and Kandakadu. Those makeshift Quarantine Centres at Punani and Kandakadu, furnished with all facilities are spacious enough to accommodate at least 2000-2500 persons arriving directly from Covid 19-affected countries for the two-week long quarantine process.

Those quarantine locations, are equipped with necessary medical tools, Wi-Fi communication facilities, thermometers, laundry and entertainment facilities to medically-sound quarantine purposes by keeping each occupant for an incubation period of two weeks, together with 5-6 medical teams and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). These Quarantine Centres are now operational as per directions given by Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva and will have Sri Lankans and foreigners arriving directly from Iran, Italy and South Korea quarantined in these locations at the initial phase.