A total of twelve vehicles had been taken into police custody yesterday for stopping, loading and unloading passengers in the areas where police quarantine curfew is currently in effect, Police spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana said.

He said that the majority of the curfew violations had been reported from Gampaha.

A total of 17 vehicles were taken into custody along with the drives for violating the quarantine curfew during past 24-hours, he said.

The spokesman said, earlier, a decision had been made not to allow long-distance buses to stop, load and unload passengers in the curfew imposed areas. However, long-distance buses were allowed to pass through the curfew-imposed areas.

Necessary legal action would be taken against the violators under the quarantine law, DIG Ajith Rohana said. He also said despite repeated warnings, people seem to continue disobeying the law.

Meanwhile, the police spokesman informed those who visited the Peliyagoda Fish Market during last week to stay on alert to identify any COVID-19 symptoms in them as the number of infected persons from the Peliyagoda cluster continues to rise.  

Those who visited the market during the last week are requested to inform local health officials about it and get tested for an immediate PCR as an early precautionary measure, he said.

So far, 182 persons from the Peliyagoda Fish Market tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)