75 Customs officials under quarantine, after eight test positive

At least 75 Customs personnel in various ranks had been placed under quarantine since eight of its officials tested positive of Covid-19 virus as of yesterday. Customs Spokesman Additional Director General Sunil Jayaratne told the Daily Mirror that altogether eight of their officials had been tested positive with the virus by yesterday.

Out of the infected officials three were Customs Inspectors and five were Assistant Superintendents of Customs.

“Some of the infected officials had been serving at the Colombo Port performing various duties,” ADG Jayaratne said.

Following the eight officials being tested positive, over 75 Customs personnel in various ranks had been sent on compulsory quarantine, the Spokesman said.

The first two Customs Inspectors were found positive on October 21, while they were stationed at the New Container Gate (NCG), which is the main entrance on the Port Access Road linking Ingurukade Junction and the Port.

Meanwhile, 11 employees of the Colombo Ports Authority had been tested positive and over 150 had been sent on quarantine, the authority said yesterday.(Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana )