Curfew declared in Gampaha Police division

A Police curfew has been declared in the Gampaha Police Division with effect from 6.00 p.m. today.

Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva said that the Police curfew will be implemented until further notice.

The Police Media Unit clarified that the curfew has been imposed only in the Gampaha, Divulapitiya, Minuwangoda, and Veyangoda areas falling under the Gampaha Police Division.

The decision to impose a curfew comes after over 500 employees of an apparel factory in Minuwangoda were detected with COVID-19 as of today.

Issuing a statement, the Government has requested all employees of the factory, their family members and associates to refrain from stepping outdoors and to remain at home wherever in Sri Lanka they may be at present.

The Military is taking measures to transfer the family members of employees detected with the coronavirus to quarantine centres.

Those required to be sent to quarantine centres have been requested to be prepared to leave when requested, Army Commander Shavendra Silva said.

Meanwhile, long distance buses have been permitted to operate through areas in which a Police curfew will be imposed from today.

The Police said however, dropping or loading passengers has been strictly prohibited in the areas.

The Police also announced that trains will not stop at stations in areas where the Police curfew is set to be imposed from today until further notice.

Trains will ply from the Gampaha Railway Station till the Vadumbura Railway Station in Veyangoda, and will not stop at the main Veyangoda Railway Station, they said.

The COVID-19 outbreak was detected after a 39-year old supervisor of the factory was detected with the virus over the weekend.

Following the detection, a Police curfew was immediately imposed in the Divulapitiya, Minuwangoda, and Veyangoda areas on Sunday (04).

The latest COVID-19 cluster in Minuwangoda has led to the detection of some patients across Kurunegala, Monaragala, Jaffna, Minuwangoda, Katana, Seeduwa, Divulapitiya, Mirigama, Ja-Ela and Mahara. (Colombo Gazette)