Seventy-eight tourists infected since December

Seventy-eight tourists who arrived in Sri Lanka had been found to be infected with the coronavirus since December, the Tourism Ministry said.

Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga told Daily Mirror that of the 11,961 tourists who arrived in Sri Lanka between December 28 and 14 April, 78 tested positive for the coronavirus.

However, he said that since the tourists were confined to a travel bubble they did not have any contact with locals.

The minister also asserted that the number of infections among tourists was very small compared to the total number of tourists who visited Sri Lanka during this period.

Ranatunga said that if the health authorities introduce any new restrictions on tourists arriving in Sri Lanka, the tourism authorities will be prepared to enforce those restrictions.

Meanwhile, more Sri Lankans who returned to the country have been found to be infected with the coronavirus.

Officials said that another 49 Sri Lankans who returned from overseas tested positive for the virus on Saturday. 

They were among 253 people who tested positive for the coronavirus over a 24-hour period ending at 6.00 am yesterday.

The Health Ministry has said that it is considering imposing restrictions on Sri Lankans returning to the country as there is a spike in the number of infections among the returnees.

A number of Sri Lankans returning to the country have been found to be infected on a daily basis since January. (Easwaran Rutnam)