The Ministry of Defence requests all Sri Lankans who arrived from European countries including UK, Iran, Italy and South Korea from March 1 to 15 to register themselves at the nearest Police station or inform the Police, immediately.

Defence Secretary Maj.Gen. (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne, seeking support from them, said this was done to protect the country’s population from the coronavirus outbreak.

“There are over 170 passengers, who have returned to Sri Lanka from Korea and Italy, are living with their families and have not been subjected to quarantine process. As a precautionary measure, we need to get them into the screening process to detect positive cases to prevent coronavirus spreading further,” he said.

Those who have not been subjected to 14-days quarantine process have to call 119 and inform the Police about their details.

“The passengers, who had arrived from coronavirus-hit countries and hiding to evade quarantine, will be instructed by the Police and SLA soldiers in the respective areas to
submit the relevant information to them to be quarantined in their own houses by staying indoors,” the Defence Secretary said.

Maj.Gen. Gunaratne urging, those arrived from coronavirus hit countries to come forward to declare that they had returned from European countries, including UK, Korea, Iran and
Italy, said the public needs to support the government in its effort to contain the spreading of the virus.

“They will not be taken to quarantine centres but will be done at their own homes with the help of the Public Health Inspectors,” he assured.

If they still fail to heed to the request, legal action will be taken under the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance by the Police against them .