Covid-19 sailors at Welisara Navy Camp: Navy request public not to panic

Sri Lanka Navy today requested people not to panic over naval personnel as preventive measures have been taken on the advice of health authorities after several naval personnel at the Sri Lanka Navy Camp in Welisara confirmed positive for COVID-19.

The Navy Camp at Welisara was declared an isolated area after 30 naval personnel at the  Camp have tested positive for COVID-19.

The Navy said that at least 4,000 people at the Welisara Camp, including sailors and their families, have been quarantined within the camp.

They said measures were taken to conduct tests to ascertain if they had contracted the virus.

In addition, the sailors who had associated the infected sailors had been brought back to the camp on health grounds.

The Navy said naval activities at the camp would resume after conducting health tests.

Meanwhile, Health Authorities have directed 34 persons belonging to 16 families in Meegalawa, Kurunegala to undergo self-quarantine. The families have been advised to undergo quarantine following close contact with a naval officer belonging to the Welisara Naval base who visited the area recently while on leave.

31 Naval officers from the Badulla district attached to the Welisara Naval Base, who tested positive for the coronavirus had left the camp on leave on April 24. These officers would also be directed to quarantine promptly, authorities said.

Another three naval officers from the same base, who visited three areas in the Ratnapura district have been admitted to the Ratnapura Teaching Hospital. 13 houses which maintained close contact with these officers have been directed to quarantine by the authorities.

Meanwhile with reports of an employee of the Wariyapola Pradeshiya Sabha, who had come into contact with a Covid-19 positive naval officer from Katupotha yesterday, all activities of the Pradeshiya Sabha had been suspended and its offices have been closed for public today.