After one of the navy personnel engaged in duties at the ‘Gaffoor Building’ had tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, the first group of persons who had close contact with him were subjected to PCR tests today.

Director General of Health Services Dr. Anil Jasinghe stated that around 200 from the navy including drivers and others personnel are stationed at the building and that the entire building has been quarantined since yesterday (27). 

With the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country, the Sri Lanka Navy had used the building in question for its most essential administrative activities, Navy Spokesperson Lieutenant Commander Isuru Sooriyabandara said.

He assured that the general public should have no unnecessary fear with regard to the identifying of a COVID-19 infected person from the building as it is properly administrated by the navy and none of these personnel have had any contact with external individuals or those in other navy camps. 

According to the data released as of 6pm today, 729 of Sri Lanka’s total COVID-19 cases are navy personnel and their close associates, which is 49.49 percent of the total confirmed cases reported. 

309 cases have been identified locally – that’s percentage of 21.03 while 68 of them were reported from quarantine centers. 

The number of returnees from abroad who have tested positive for the virus has increased to 448 or 29.48 percent. They include three foreigners.