A decision has been taken to quarantine persons who had left the Western Province once the travel restrictions were imposed.

Police Media Spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana stated that all police stations in the country have been informed in this regard.

A travel restriction was imposed in the Western Province yesterday (November 11) prohibiting those in the Western Province from traveling outside province boundaries. This directive is effective until midnight on Sunday (November 15).

However, there are no restrictions on people involved in essential services and those entering Western Province from outside.

However, if a person moves outside the province disregarding the travel restriction, they will be self-quarantined with the intervention of health authorities, DIG Rohana added.

“If someone disobeys these restrictions and leaves the province using a detour, local police stations have been informed to look into their destination. Maybe a lodge, maybe a house, maybe a rest house, maybe an estate house. We informed all local police stations last to find out about them.

A certain grace period must be given to those who had left the province. However, if anyone has arrived in any part of Sri Lanka since around 5 am this morning, they will inevitably be quarantined at their destinations with the assistance of the health authorities.”

Following the 14-day self-quarantine period, legal action will be taken against those who left the province, the DIG added.

“If a person is confirmed to have left the Western Province, they will definitely have to adapt to this process.”

He further said, “Therefore, no one should leave the Western Province. We have deployed officers at all exit gates, including expressways. Also, public transport services do not move outside the Western Province but only within the Western Province. Stay [in] these 4 days.”