Peliyagoda Fish Market closed after 49 test positive for Covid-19

• Admission to Ward 46 of National Hospital in Colombo suspended
• Colombo’s Manning Market too will be closed from 9.00am today until 5.00am on Monday

By Sheain Fernandopulle   & Chaturanga Samarawickrama

The Peliyagoda Fish Market has been temporarily shut down after 49 individuals including fish vendors tested positive for Covid-19, the area Medical officer of Health (MOH) said.  

The PHI assigned to the area said the majority of positive cases were fish vendors and the people who have bought fish from them recently were asked to report to nearby PHI officers to undergo PCR tests.  

Some 105 individuals were subjected to PCR tests after a fish vendor who was identified as a Covid-19 patient, had sold fish at the market. He is a resident of Dompe.  

Accordingly, 49 persons were found to have contracted the virus with the PCR test results received yesterday morning.   

He said it was yet to be ascertained as to how the fish vendor contracted the virus.   

However, the PHIs   said they suspected he was linked to the Minuwangoda factory cluster.   
Meanwhile, admission to the ward number 46 of the National Hospital in Colombo has been suspended after a patient in the ward was found to have contracted the Covid-19 virus.   

Accordingly, he said the V21 and V22 stalls were closed and their employees were sent for quarantine. 
Meanwhile, Colombo’s Manning Market too will be closed from 9.00am today until 5.00am on Monday, The All Island Unified Economic Centre’s and Manning Market Traders Union (AIUECMMTU) said yesterday.   
The Union’s National Organiser H. M.Upasena told Daily Mirror that they have been informed by the police to suspend operations at the market from 6.00pm yesterday. 

 
“We informed the police that it was impossible to close the market yesterday since the process of accepting vegetables and other essential items arriving from remote areas had already commenced. Loading goods to lorries had been completed and most of the lorries had left for Colombo,” he said.   

Accordingly, the police and the Colombo Municipal Council had allowed the Manning Market to be kept open till 9.00 am today.   

“There is no report of COVID-19 infections at the Manning Market but it is better to keep the market closed as a preventive measure. The re-opening of the market on Monday will depend on the current pandemic situation in Colombo,” Mr Upasena added. 

• it was yet to be ascertained as to how the fish vendor contracted the virus. However, the PHIs said they suspected he was linked to the Minuwangoda factory cluster.