Adequate measures taken to minimize transmission of Coronavirus : Minister Dinesh Gunawardena

COLOMBO (News 1st):- The Director-General of Health Services Dr. Anil Jasinghe convened a media briefing in Colombo today (March 7) to speak about the impact of the Coronavirus. Director-General of Health Services, Dr.Anil Jasinghe said; "It has been decided to build two quarantine centers to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection in Sri Lanka. The Batticaloa Private University premises and the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Center. The acquisition of the quarantine centers will be done in accordance with the powers vested by the Director-General of Health Services under the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Act. (Act. No. 12 of 1952.). All passengers who enter Sri Lanka from South Korea, Iran, and Italy, will be quarantined for 14 days. They will be released only after 14 days." President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has instructed the Secretary to the President, Dr. P.B. Jayasundara to make preparations for all possible eventualities of COVID-19 in Sri Lanka. Dr. Jayasundara in a letter sent out to all District Secretaries and Divisional Secretaries says, ‘Our desire is to make the maximum possible effort to make Sri Lanka ‘Corona free’ and get business as usual’. The Secretary to the President further said. ‘In this regard, the mindset of the people should be made to act and support the control measures in a positive manner to maximize the smooth operation of the control measures’. He added that Sri Lanka needs to be prepared for all possible eventualities in this regard. Meanwhile, the diplomatic community has been briefed on the steps the government is taking to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The briefing held under the auspices of Minister of Foreign affairs Dinesh Gunawardena saw the participation of Health Ministry officials, resident representatives of the World Health Organization, the International Organization for Migration, the Department of Immigration and Emigration, airport authorities and officials of the Sri Lankan military. Speaking at the event Foreign Affairs Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said the government has taken adequate measures to minimize the transmission of the virus. Secretary of Foreign Affairs Ravinatha Aryasinha said that no foreign national will be discriminated due to the unfounded fear of the virus.