Movements between WP to other provinces restricted

• People with heart ailments, diabetes, kidney problems and cancer are more vulnerable to infect with the virus
• Most of the deaths have occurred without displaying symptoms of COVID,  and subsequent PCR tests confirmed that they were COVID infected

By Sheain Fernandopulle and Chathuranga Samarawickrama   

Movements between Western Province to other provinces were restricted last night while trains and bus services were also halted. Army Commander Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva said people are advised not to move within the Western Province as well.  

This was following the request made by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to restrict people’s movements from the Western Province to other provinces. The restrictions came into effect from midnight yesterday.   

Despite the curfew being lifted in the Western Province, President Rajapaksa informed officials to take measures to restrict people’s movements from the Western Province to other provinces as a majority of Covid-19 cases had been reported from the Western Province.   

He expressed this during the daily meeting held with officials of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 at the Presidential Secretariat.   

Attention was also drawn to protect the people with non-communicable diseases from becoming victims of COVID-19.   
“Medical experts point out that 93% of the COVID-19 deaths reported in the past few days in Sri Lanka, as well as in other countries were due to the infection by coronavirus of people suffering from non-communicable diseases,” the President said, adding that “People with heart ailments, diabetes, kidney problems and cancer are more vulnerable to infect with the virus. Most of the deaths have occurred without displaying symptoms of COVID-19, and subsequent PCR tests confirmed that they were COVID-19 infected.”   

Accordingly, he informed the relevant officials to pay special attention on the matter and to find remedies and also to educate people with non-communicable diseases as to how they should protect themselves from the virus. Meanwhile, he ordered the officials to take prompt measures to make sure that the dispensaries located countrywide are fully operated considering the difficulties faced by patients arriving at hospitals.   

President Rajapaksa also informed the officials to see whether the distribution of goods to the isolated takes place in accordance with health guidelines.   

• Medical experts point out that 93% of the COVID-19 deaths reported in the past few days in Sri Lanka, as well as in other countries were due to the infection by coronavirus of people suffering from non-communicable diseases