State Minister Prof. Channa Jayasumana urged the people of the country not to mistakenly think that the threat from the Covid-19 virus has completely gone away as the risks posed by public gatherings and failure to follow health guidelines is still very high.

Speaking to reporters, he said that inter-provincial travel restrictions are still being maintained and that however many people are gathering in large numbers at places of worship, funerals, weddings and at functions organized by family members or friends. 

He said that this is setting a bad precedent and that he had personally observed yesterday people gathering in large numbers near religious places such as the Ruwanweli Maha Seya and Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi.

The state minister emphasized that this is a country where just 2-3 weeks ago around 200 coronavirus deaths were being reported on a daily basis and that the people should not think that the virus is completely gone now. 

He said that they cannot provide any guarantee that this virus will not mutate further in the future and that it is evident across the world that new variants of the virus keep on popping up all over the world while the number of cases and deaths continue to rise. 

“Do not get the wrong idea that the risk is gone,” he requested the public.