The Defence Ministry says that it has taken all necessary precautions, together with the Health Ministry, to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) to protect Sri Lankans, who are arriving from virus-hit countries, as well as the entirety of the country’s population.

Following the directives of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa two centres in Punani and Kandakadu have been declared as quarantine centres that function under Sri Lanka Army to keep  who are arriving from coronavirus-hit countries such as South Korea, Italy, Singapore for 14-days, the Ministry said in a statement.

The passengers who arrived in the country from the aforesaid two countries were sent for 14-day quarantine starting from yesterday to the two centres facilitated by the Army.

Military Spokesman Brigadier Chandana Wickramasinghe, addressing a media breifing  in Colombo yesterday (11), has stated that the government had decided to put those, who were coming from countries listed as “risky” areas of COVID-19, under the quarantine process at two centres in the Eastern province as they are less-populated areas and ideal to isolate them for a period of 14-days.

“Army has provided all the facilities required for quarantine similar to the first quarantine facility set up in the Diyatalawa Military Hospital,” he has said.

According to the Military Spokesman, Consultant Community Medicine and the Deputy Director of Preventive Medicine and Mental Health Services of Army Hospital Colonel Dr. Saveen Semage, who had gained experience of handling those who were in quarantine process earlier, is in-charge of the quarantine process at the two centres.

Meanwhile, citing recent social media posts on the quarantine process by the Army, Brigadier Wickramasinghe has requested the media to report about COVID-19 with much responsibility to educate the people but not to mislead them, the statement said further.

“Those who are arriving in the country have the right to return to their motherland whether they are infected or not. But they also need to be responsible, to protect those who are living in the country, by willingly undergoing the quarantine process to clear them to endorse that they are free of any viruses,” he has stressed.

However, Police Spokesman SP Jaliya Senaratne, explaining the legality of putting those who are returning from COVID-19-hit countries under quarantine process, has emphasized that it is mandatory under the Article 3 of the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance of 1897.

“The quarantine process which is following now by the military is completely lawful and noncompliance to the stipulated routine would lead to an imprisonment up to 6 months and could be fined from Rs 2,000 to Rs. 10, 000, if any one who is found guilty of refusing to be in the quarantine process”, he has said.

Requesting media and also the public to support to prevent spreading the virus, SP Senaratne has said they had noticed objections from the public to set up quarantine facilities in several locations.

“We need the support of all the segments of the society to face the COVID-19,” he said.

Assuring to provide necessary requirements in the two quarantine centres, Brigadier Wickramasinghe has said all those quarantine facilities were open free of charge and individuals undergoing treatment at the centres would be provided with special toiletries, sanitary items, outfits, meals and other amenities inclusive of Wi-Fi.