’’Shut down the nightclubs, or call the police’’ - CMC

Health officers from the Colombo Municipal Council today said that nightclubs operating in Colombo city had not obtained permission to re-open and it should be closed immediately owing to the present COVID-19 pandemic.

Chief Medical Officer of the CMC, Dr. Ruwan Wijemuni told Daily Mirror that following discussions with the Health Ministry, a decision had been taken that nightclubs operating should shut down immediately and if they are kept open, people should inform the police.

"They had never obtained any permission to open the nightclubs. They have to be kept closed. People should complain to the police if they are open as only the police have the power to close it," Dr. Wijemuni said.

He further said owing to the present situation, there was a decision to only allow weddings and funerals with a limited number of people, but they were awaiting the new amended health guidelines which will be released by the Health Ministry soon.

Meanwhile, the highest number of positive COVID-19 patients detected in recent days from several areas were those who had attended weddings and other large gatherings, Secretary of the Public Health Inspectors Union, Mahesh Balasuriya told Daily Mirror.

He recommended that travel from these districts which had been identified with such patients should be restricted and said it was due to this that weddings were now permitted to have only 50 guests from 150.

Further authorities are checking to see if the new variant of the COVID-19 had been detected from a wedding held in Udugampola recently, where atleast over a 100 people tested positive for the virus and the spread had happened at a faster pace. (Jamila Husain)