Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva speculates the recent coronavirus outbreak reported at the Kandakadu Rehabilitation Centre may have occurred due to individuals who had come into contact with patients detected from Colombo and Borella.
He said persons who had come into contact with individuals detected with COVID-19 in Borella and Colombo were placed in two quarantine centres, Galkanda in Kandakadu and in Mullaitivu.
“A decision had to be taken on whether or not to reintegrate them into society.
Most inmates were those who were undergoing rehabilitation for the addiction to alcohol and other substances. We obtained a new court order and placed them at the rehabilitation centre”, he explained.
The Commander of the Army said that the recent coronavirus outbreak may have occurred at the rehabilitation centre due to the inmates being infected during the above-mentioned transition period.
He further clarified that there is no connection between the quarantine centre in Kandakadu and the rehabilitation centre also in the same area.
“Special protection has been provided for the quarantine centre. It has no connection to the rehabilitation centre”, Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva assured.
Meanwhile, Minister of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi said as per the expert advice of Specialist doctors individuals infected with COVID-19 show symptoms within 14 days.
“It is more than 14 days since instructors from the Kandakadu Rehabilitation Centre had entered society”, she said.
Minister Wannniarachchi further said that if the virus had spread through them within the community, then currently there should be a significant number of patients being detected across the country. (Newswire)