Sri Lanka lifts coronavirus lockdown, claims no community spread

COLOMBO (AFP): Sri Lankan government has lifted the nationwide lockdown today (Sunday) after a selective curfew was re-imposed during a surge in coronavirus infections.

In a statement, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s office said, “The curfew has completely been lifted effective from today.”

Talking to an international news agency, Sri Lankan health officials said that new infections reported since April 30 were from nationals stranded in the Middle East who were brought home on special flights.

The country’s health official further claimed, “There has been no community spread of the virus and the infections at the Welisara navy camp are now contained.

“Air and sea borders will remain closed, with international flights suspended. The authorities plan to reopen Sri Lanka’s borders on Aug 1, but the date could be reviewed due to the imported cases,” the official added.

Sri Lanka will also hold its parliamentary elections at the start of August after they were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The island nation imposed the lockdown on March 20 and lifted it gradually over the past two months, although a nighttime curfew remained in place.

The country reintroduced tighter restrictions in late May to contain the rising number of coronavirus cases. According to the country’s health department, around 2,000 infections including 11 deaths have been recorded in the South Asian nation so far.