Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi said that measures have been taken to provide all 2 million Samurdhi families Rs. 10,000 and currently all officers are engaged in granting the advance to the Samurdhi recipients on the directions of the President. Currently, the Samurdhi officers are in the process of going to the homes of the recipients and handing over the advance payment of Rs. 5000. These officers have been instructed to distribute the money among the Samurdhi families without them having to go through much hassle to obtain it.
She said that for those who have so far not received the Rs. 5000, it will be delivered to their homes by next Tuesday. Currently, out of the 2 million Samurdhi families, 1,524,280 have received the interest-free loan. For this purpose, 7,621 million has been released.
Joining the media briefing Army Commander Lt. Gen Shavendra Silva stated that a total of 288 quarantined returnees, including 09 Buddhist monks and a nun from Diyatalawa, Rantembe, Kundasale, Bogoda, Periyakadu and Thanthirimale Quarantine Centres (QCs) after the two-week long quarantine process, left for their residences this morning (3) after receipt of Quarantine Certificates. With this, a total of 2598 quarantined individuals have so far left those QCs, manned by tri-services.
Further, a total of 314 individuals identified to have been in contact with the third dead COVID-19 victim in Imamulrus Mawatha, Samapura flats, Maradana were taken to Punani QC by the Army late Thursday (2) evening. 12 of those individuals were from Wellampitiya.
A medical team of 24 persons, including doctors and nursing staff who treated the COVID-19 victim at Colombo South Hospital were earlier housed at Maharagama Teachers’ Training College in quarantine for 14 days, but they were later accommodated in Dolphin Hotel, Waikkal with more facilities where the team of 25 more Negombo Medical personnel, including doctors are in quarantine, raising the total in quarantine to 49 at Waikkal Hotel. As of now, 1741 persons are still in quarantine in 40 island-wide QCs and one more group of 155 are scheduled to leave QCs tomorrow (4) after completion of the quarantine process, he added.
“To facilitate the pensioners who are senior citizens of this country to draw their pensions, the Army during past two days, including today (3) provided transport services to take them to their banks from their homes,” Lieutenant General Silva Head of the NOCPCO told the Media.
Meanwhile, the Director-General Health Services Dr. Anil Jasinghe said, no Coronavirus positive patient has been identified today (03), bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 151 at the time of the media briefing and 21 patients had made a full recovery and left for their homes.
Meanwhile the Director-General of Health Services Dr. Anil Jasinghe says that samples from around 225 persons were tested for the virus yesterday (02).
He added that presently in addition to the samples from the patient, the samples from those who have closely associated with patients and have not shown symptoms as of yet are also being tested for COVID-19.108 Covid-19 patients receiving treatment at the IDH, 12 at the Welikanda Hospital and 12 at the Mulleriyawa Hospital.
Expressing his views DIG Ajith Rohana said
The Police have arrested 1034 suspects for violating the islandwide Police curfew within the last 24 hours bringing the total to 11,000.
Referring to the Egodauyana incident this morning (03) where four youths were shot as they had failed to follow police orders to stop at a checkpoint, the DIG stated that they had been under the influence of drugs. They will be produced in court and legal action would be initiated against the,
He also warned residents of apartment complexes not to congregate and socialize in groups, warning that if the police finds such gatherings they would all be arrested on charges of violating quarantine laws.
Suspects arrested for drug offences will be produced in court and remanded, while suspects arrested for violating the curfew will be granted Police bail or remanded, he added.
The DIG also noted that workers engaged in essential services could travel by producing their service IDs as curfew passes. He also said that there were no restrictions placed on those engaged in agricultural activities and they could operate despite the curfew.
