Army Converts Centre to a Field Hospital & More Infected Positive Ones Could be Anticipated - Head NOCPCO

Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva, Head, National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO), Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army urges the public to be more cautious as more and more infected expatriates are returning home and appeals the public not to be duped by false and misleading rumours as all measures have been adopted to avoid any transmission of the virus to society. He went on to say:

"Ministry of Justice-managed two Rehabilitation Centres for Drug Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation, managed by Ministry of Justice in Kandakadu and Senapura areas in the Polonnaruwa district have a total of 1150 detainees, inclusive of employees of different state agencies. After detection of a COVID-19 positive detainee from the Welikada Prisons on Tuesday (7) who had returned from Kandakadu Rehabilitation Centre, all prison detainees and prison staff were subjected to about 700 PCR tests, but all of them were confirmed negative to the virus. On the same day (7), all individuals inside that Kandakadu Rehabilitation Centre underwent PCR tests and found 57 of those individuals, subjected to PCR tests were confirmed positive to the virus. Of them, was one female who is serving the Centre as an instructor, but currently on leave in Marawila area. Soon after she was diagnosed positive, her parents, family members and her associates have now been referred to PCR tests, kept in quarantine by the Army and are awaiting results of those reports, "Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva said.

"In view of the numbers on duty and detainees at both Centres, both HE the President and Hon Prime Minister instructed me to immediately take steps to convert the nearby Army-managed Kandakadu Quarantine Centre to be a field hospital where some 500 COVID-19 infected persons can be treated, anticipating further increase in positive cases upon receipt of PCR Test results. Accordingly, as of this morning (10), 196 more individuals were confirmed positive COVID-19 patients, thus increasing the total to 253, together with 57 confirmed ones earlier on Thursday (9) evening, all of who are now receiving treatment in this new field hospital. It is believed that the infection would have been brought there by a few convicted drug addicts who had been brought there on a Court order a few days ago or by 116 visitors who had visited those relatives under rehabilitation on 4th July after restrictions were lifted. All of those visitors had been identified and are now kept in quarantine," he remarked.

"Possibilities of transmission of the virus to society are minimal but more infected ones could be found among those who were serving both those Centres in the next couple of days after PCR tests, I anticipate so. Similarly, 8 more instructors of those same Centres currently on leave have been identified and are being brought back for quarantining without taking any risk or delay," he told.

The public need to be cautious as more and more infected expatriates are returning home from abroad, although all standard health precautions and guidelines are strictly followed. Similarly, I very humbly urge the general public not to be misled by rumours or false stories doing rounds as the Government Information Department, COVID-19 Centre (NOCPCO) and the President's Media are always ready to place true facts before the public," he appealed. (Ends)

Source: www.army.lk