Courtesy NewsIn.Asia

Colombo, March 24 (newsin.asia) — Sri Lankan authorities, on Tuesday declared three districts including capital Colombo as ‘high risk’ areas due to the rapid spread of COVID-19 and imposed an indefinite curfew there, a statement from the President’s Office said.

As a result of the curfew, the statement said essential items including medicines will be delivered to people’s doorsteps as the public had been banned from leaving their homes until further notice.

The decision was reached after large crowds gathered at supermarkets and grocery shops earlier Tuesday in Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara in the outskirts of the capital and Puttalam in the north central province, when a curfew was lifted for 6 hours for people to re-stock on essential items.

Mandatory rules of maintaining a one meter distance was not maintained which led to Health Officials proposing essential items to be delivered.Large crowds in shops had been observed after curfew was lifted this morning in three districts. Health officials fear that this in turn could lead to a wider and faster spread of the virus,” the statement from the President’s Office said.

Therefore, the government has directed wholesale dealers to deliver essential consumer goods to the doorstep of each household until the situation is brought under control,” the statement added.

The President’s Office said to ensure the smooth operation of delivering essential consumer goods to each household, a special task force had been established. Vehicles used for delivery of these goods will be permitted on the roads during the curfew period.Sri Lanka has so far identified 100 COVID-19 positive patients while over 200 are under observation in the designated hospitals across the country.