The Ministry of Defence has instructed people who have arrived in Sri Lanka from Europe, Iran or South Korea during the period from 1 – 15 March 2020 to register with the Police immediately.
However, there is no need to visit the Police Station for this purpose, stated Police Media Division.
The registering can be done by calling either the nearest Police Station or 119 Centre as well, stated the Police.
Judicial actions will be taken against the persons who fail to comply with this order, under the Quarantine Laws, the Defence Ministry warned.
In the meantime, Defence Secretary Major General (Retired) Kamal Gunaratne has said this was done to protect the country’s population from the coronavirus outbreak.
“There are over 170 passengers, who have returned to Sri Lanka from Korea and Italy, are living with their families and have not been subjected to quarantine process. As a precautionary measure, we need to get them into the screening process to detect positive cases to prevent coronavirus spreading further,” he has said.
Those who have not been subjected to 14-days quarantine process have to call 119 and inform the Police about their details.
“The passengers, who had arrived from coronavirus-hit countries and hiding to evade quarantine, will be instructed by the Police and Sri Lanka Army soldiers in the respective areas to submit the relevant information to them to be quarantined in their own houses by staying indoors,” the Defence Secretary said.
The Defence Secretary, urging those arrived from coronavirus hit countries to come forward to declare that they had returned from European countries, including UK, Korea, Iran and Italy, said the public needs to support the government in its effort to contain the spreading of the virus.
“They will not be taken to quarantine centres but will be done at their own homes with the help of the Public Health Inspectors,” he assured.
If they still fail to heed to the request, legal action will be taken under the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance by the Police against them.
