Sri Lanka extends Covid-19 lockdown amid Death toll exceeds 8,000

Sri Lanka has extended the current island-wide quarantine curfew orders until 6^th September, in a bid to manage the soaring COVID-19 cases and deaths  in the country prompted by the rapid spread of the Delta variant.  On August 20, Sri Lanka imposed a ten-day island-wide quarantine curfew and it was set to be lifted at 04.00 am on August 30.

The decision was taken by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the COVID-19 Task Force meeting held this morning. 

A total of 209 more COVID-19 related deaths that occurred yesterday were confirmed by the Director-General of Health Services yesterday pushing the death toll to 8,157.

Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella tweeted that the extended quarantine curfew orders are effective until 4.00 am on the 06th of September . He urged the members of the public to continue to work from home and to abide by the curfew orders while refraining from unnecessary travel.

Army Commander General Shavendra Silva says that essential and other services which are currently functioning will be permitted to continue while those traveling for employment will also be allowed until the quarantine curfew is lifted. 

The calls for extension of the lockdown have come from the Opposition and the public health inspectors.

The health unions have complained that the ongoing lockdown in the form of quarantine curfew has been observed in a very relaxed manner with large traffic formations being seen in the cities.

The government says that the lockdowns would adversely impact the economy and has urged the public to get vaccinated.

Sri Lanka, which has witnessed a series of lockdowns and curfews to contain the spread of Covid-19 in the country, has been impacted in terms of its economy.

The tourism sector, which generates a huge quantum of revenue for the island nation, has seen a drastic fall.

The Friday’s announcement came after Sri Lanka recorded 209 deaths on Wednesday, the highest daily toll since the onset of the pandemic.

As of Thursday, Sri Lanka had recorded 8,157 deaths while the total number of infections stood at 412,370.