North gets serious about tackling covid threat because of contacts with Indians

CCTV cameras have been installed in Kilinochchi to identify those who do not follow health guidelines.

Chairman of the Kilinochchi Pradeshiya Sabha, Arunachalam Welamakithan said that Covid-19 was becoming a serious problem there as people were not adhering to health guidelines.

With the support of the CCTV evidence, those who violated the health guidelines could be arrested, he said.

Welamakithan said that vendors at the Kilinochchi wholesale market worked closely with commercial hubs in Dambulla, Vavuniya, Jaffna and Tambuttegama. Those were areas with high coronavirus prevalence, he said.

“Our fishermen associate with their Indian counterparts. They also deal with smugglers operating between the two countries. This is a dangerous situation.”

The Mannar District COVID-19 eradication committee has decided to prevent residents of the district leaving the district. District Secretary Nandani Stanley de Mel said that the decision had been taken as residents of the district had close relationships with fishermen and businessmen of India.

“We have established checkpoints in Mannar. Those who leave the district will be checked. they won’t be allowed to leave unless they have a valid reason. We have also advised people not to take pillion riders on their motorcycles. Only one family member should do the shopping twice a week. Navy officers have told us that they won’t allow Indian fishermen to come into Sri Lankan waters.”

Eighty four people who took part in a certificate awarding ceremony at Karaveddi, Jaffna have been quarantined as six of the participants were found to be Covid-19 positive.

The certificates were awarded to people who had passed a Sinhala language proficiency test. One participant, a woman initially tested positive and health officials later found that all three family members were infected. Her husband works at the Irrigation Office – Anuradhapura. Health officers also took steps to quarantine a day care centre that her child was attending. Twenty three children and four attendants in the day care centre too have quarantined.