Sri Lanka eases coronavirus lockdown after nearly two months

Sri Lanka eases coronavirus lockdown after nearly two months

A 24-hour curfew was lifted on the island, except for two main districts that include the capital Colombo

AgenciesUpdated: Monday, May 11, 2020, 10:33 PM IST
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A guard checks the temperature of a government employee in Colombo. | PIC: AFP

Sri Lanka's government asked state and private sector workers to resume work Monday after a nearly two-month coronavirus lockdown.

A 24-hour curfew was lifted on the island, except for two main districts that include the capital Colombo.

Restaurants, liquor stores, clothing stores and gyms also remain closed. Buses and trains will only transport those going to work.

Sri Lanka is on the right track to contain the COVID-19 pandemic through increased tracking, testing, isolation, and treatment strategy, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.

The WHO said that enhanced testing of the contacts of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 has led to the increased identification of infections, reports Xinhua news agency.

The Sri Lanka Preparedness and Response Plan are implemented with the overall goal to interrupt the transmission of the virus from one person to another using a comprehensive blended approach of containment and mitigation, it added.

"Moreover, the safety of frontline workers, both health and non-health, should be prioritized, and the availability of personal protective equipment must be ensured. Local innovations have eased the stress for some of these, however, adequate stocks need to be ensured in the event of a spike of cases," the WHO said.

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