Another quarantine center established in Vavuniya

COLOMBO (News 1st):- Army Spokesperson Brigadier Chandana Wickremesinghe said another quarantine center has been established in Bambaimadu, Vavuniya. In addition to this center, the process continues to take place in the quarantine centers established in Diyatalawa, the Batticaloa Campus, Punani and Kandakaadu. These quarantine centers currently accommodate 1,720 individuals who had arrived in the island from foreign nations. The Army said, during the quarantine process, the body temperature of these individuals, is checked at 8 am, 12 noon and 8pm on a daily basis. If an increase in body temperature is detected in any individual, they will be subjected to medical treatment. Meanwhile, the health ministry said, local health authorities, together with public health officials and medical officers, are keeping a close watch on the 4,794 individuals who had arrived in the island from overseas. Among them are 3,035 Sri Lankans and 1,153 Chinese Nationals. Speaking to News 1st, Infectious Diseases Physician Dr. Sanjaya Senanayake, explained what quarantine means and the process involved behind the matter.

"Quarantine is a process, where infected people are kept separate from non infected people till the danger of transmitting the infection, has passed. Quarantine can be on a very small scale. It could be putting one person into isolation. Or it can be on a large scale. So as in Italy, where the entire country is gone into lock down. The duration of the quarantine will depend on factors related to the infection, how long the incubation period will be, the time that it takes you to get sick, the serial interval and the speed of infection."

He further said that,

"All these factors will help determine how long the quarantine will be. If you are a contact of a case of COVID 19, then you will be asked to self isolate at home for 14 days, that is quarantine. Even though people are in quarantine, you want to make sure there is good information from the government, provided to those in quarantine. It's a very scary experience, both mentally and physically. So that information is really important."