153 of 29 families in Kotahena sent for quarantine

Some 153 persons belonging to 29 families in Jinthupitiya in Kotahena including a member of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) have been sent to quarantine centre in Kandakadu after a seaman residing in the area tested positive for COVID-19, Chief Medical Officer Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) Dr. Ruwan Wijayamuni said today.

Dr. Wijayamuni said this person had returned home on June 26 after being quarantined for 14 days and was tested positive for COVID-19 again on July 2.

“The PCR test performed after his completion of the quarantine period was negative. However, he was tested positive again yesterday and was admitted to the IDH immediately. We also tested eight members of his family and their tests were negative,” Dr Wijeyamuni said.

“However we decided to evacuate 29 families from the area and sent them to a quarantine centre as a precaution. There is no need to subject the area to a lock down since we have taken precautions to control the spread of the disease,” he said.

Meanwhile, Director General of Health Services Dr. Anil Jasinghe confirmed that there was no threat of spreading the disease in the society as his close contacts had been sent on quarantine. (Yohan Perera)