10 October 2020 12:00 am
By Yohan Perera and Aithum Chathuranga
At least 57 people including Mannar Bishop Fidelis Lionel Emmanuel were placed under self-quarantine after a worker at the Mannar Bishop’s House tested positive for Covid-19.
The Mannar MoH office said that 16 Catholic Priests at the Mannar Bishop’s House were among those who are undergoing self-quarantine.
A mason from Chilaw who was engaged in construction works at the Bishop’s House had earlier been admitted to the Mannar Hospital due to fever. He was later found positive for the virus following a PCR test. Accordingly, 40 of his fellow construction workers were directed to undergo quarantine at the Bishop’s House. Health officials said that another worker who had associated the mason was also tested positive for the virus.
The MoH office stated that all persons at the Bishop’s House will be subjected to PCR tests. Mannar security forces had instructed to restrict public transport services starting from the Mannar area.
The two infected persons have been admitted to the Covid-19 Treatment Unit at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital.