The first batch of passengers who were to be quarantined, sent to the Batticaloa Campus quarantine centre yesterday. The Health Ministry has set up three quarantine centres at three locations - Batticaloa campus, the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation centre, Polonnaruwa, and the Leprosy Hospital Hendala.

The group has consisted of 164 Sri Lankans from South Korea, 2 Korean nationals and another 15 from Italy, the Duty Manager of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) said. The 2 South Koreans were sent back following their refusal to undergo 14-day quarantine programme of the Health Ministry. He said the Korean Air KE 473, landed at the BIA at 3.33 a.m was the first flight which arrived after the government initiated the quarantine programme.

All passengers were provided with essential facilities and were subjected to surface sterilization before being transported to the quarantine centres by buses," the duty manager said. He further said that none of these passengers disembarked at BIA showed any symptoms related to the COVID-19.

Five buses had been assigned to transport passengers twice a day in the morning (6.00 a.m) and in the evening (6.00 p.m) by the Health Ministry to transport passengers to the Batticaloa quarantine centre.

The passengers arriving the country from South Korea, Iran and Italy was directly transported to the quarantine centre. Meanwhile, a group of 43 Sri Lankans arrived from Italy yesterday evening at BIA were sent to the Batticaloa quarantine centre. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama and T.K.G. Kapila)