29 sailors test positive for COVID-19, total jumps to 368

Thursday, 23 April 2020 22:06 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Twenty-nine sailors from the Welisara Navy Camp tested positive for COVID-19 this evening, the Health Ministry said.

The findings bring the total number of persons who tested positive today to 38.

The group were tested following the case of a sailor who shared the same billet (sailors’ accommodation block) having tested positive for COVID-19 in Polonnaruwa yesterday.

According to National Operations Centre for Prevention of COVID19 (NOCPOC) Head and Army Commander Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva, the Navy Commander declared the Welisara camp an Isolated Camp yesterday and subjected the sailors who shared billet and office space with the infected patient to PCR testing.

Some of the sailors who tested positive today had been deployed to track and detain a group of persons who were absconding from quarantine in the Ja-Ela, Suduwella area, Lt. Gen. Silva said.