Colombo (News 1st) – Director of Airport and Aviation Service Shehan Sumanasekara stated that 622 passengers from Iran, Italy and South Korea have been transferred to quarantine facilities for a mandatory 14 day quarantine period.

He stated that as of 5 PM yesterday, the passengers had been sent to the Kandakaadhu Centre in Polonnaruwa and the Private Campus in Batticoloa for quarantining.

The Health Ministry, in a combined effort with the Sri Lanka Army, used 25 luxury buses to transport the passengers to the centers.

Meanwhile, a further 250 passengers from the three countries arrived in the island between midnight yesterday and 5 AM today.

The World Health Organization has now formally recognized the virus as a pandemic.

• Ten Congressmen urge additional relief to Sri Lanka
• Passengers Confront Bandula on Bus
• Fuel distribution suspended for 12 filling stations
• Sri Lanka: Student Activists detained for 72 hours; Police want to use Terrorism Act for 3-month detention
• Dullas alleges ‘hate politics’ within Parliament