Tracking down associates early helped limit COVID-19 spread - Ministry

• Colombo has so far been identified as the district with the highest number of COVID-19 patients with 44 cases

By JAMILA HUSAIN  

The Health Ministry, yesterday said that Sri Lankan authorities with the assistance of military intelligence were able to track down within hours, those who had associated with COVID-19 patients, thus limiting the spread of the virus and keeping Sri Lanka at stage 3 of the pandemic.  

Officials from the Health Ministry told Daily Mirror that once a patient came forward with symptoms or if they were identified by the authorities, their houses were immediately disinfected and sealed and intelligence was able to identify all those who the patient had come in contact with for days. Within hours, the authorities were able to contact them and put them into self quarantine, thus preventing a further spread.  

Public Health Inspectors then visited them daily to identify if they had developed any symptoms, and would ensure they remain in isolation for the specified time period.  

So far thousands have been put into self isolation after associating with patients and this was the main reason that rapid tests were not needed at the moment. 

 
“So far there has been no indication to begin rapid tests. Within hours after the patient is detected we identify all the low risk and high risk individuals and put them Into quarantine. This has helped us limit the spread to a great extent. However we all have to continue to be vigilant and remain indoors as we fight the virus,” Ministry officials said.  
Colombo has so far been identified as the district with the highest number of COVID-19 patients with 44 cases followed by Puttalam with detected 34 cases, Kalutara with 26 cases and Gampaha which has detected 16 cases.  
Kandy and Jaffna have both identified 7 cases each.