The Ministry of Tourism and Aviation announced a short while ago that travellers from South Africa and South America will not be able to disembark in Sri Lanka's international airports with immediate effect.

The decision was taken to prevent further spread of the COVID-19 virus in the county. 

The Ministry of Tourism and Aviation said that all online and offline airlines have been informed that passengers with a travel history, including transit, in the past 14 days to South Africa and South America will not be able to enter the island nation.

Sri Lanka has already banned travellers from India and Vietnam due to the increase in the number of COVID-19 casualties and deaths in those nations.