NOCPCO Task Force Takes Stock of COVID-19 Developments

The Task Force at the National Operations Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) this afternoon (10) during one more meeting session closely reviewed the status quo, new developments and other emergency measures as regards the epidemic in the country.

Major General (Dr) Sanjeewa Manasinghe, Secretary to the Ministry of Health, Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva, Head, NOCPCO, Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army and Dr Asela Gunawardena, Director General of Health Services (DGHS) and Medical Specialist co-chaired the Task Force meeting, attended by all members and experts in the field.

After a close review of the situation in past few days, Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva explained as to why the curfew was lifted from some areas. He mentioned that the plight of daily wage- earners and garment factory workers who run the economy in the country was considered in depth and subsequent imposition of quarantine curfew in new areas was done in view of the density of positive ones and the rise in numbers of first and second contacts.

After closely scrutinizing growth of concentrations and results of PCR tests in the past three days, these restrictions had to be kept in place while sticking to the same 14-day quarantine period for both infectees and others in self-quarantine at homes, NOCPCO Head added.

The Task Force recommended PCR tests should be done on priority basis for centrally important government and private sectors to take the most important workers for duties in quarantine curfew areas and the rest be kept until the quarantine curfew is lifted. The meeting was pointed out about relief packages, being distributed among the public in isolated areas through Divisional Secretariats.

The Director General of Health Services explained about the positive cases and discharge of affected positive patients after full recovery and PCR tests, adopting quarantine strategies. He also told the meeting that the Police cluster is a new challenge, like two previous clusters.

Other matters that were taken up for discussion included repatriation of more and more Sri Lankans, departure of Sri Lankans to foreign lands, conduct of unaffected public services and most essential requirements, question of contamination of more and more Public Health Inspectors (PHIs).

Source: www.army.lk