Coronavirus pandemic: Sri Lanka govt aims at total relaxation of curfew by June

Sri Lanka Air force personnel put on protective equipment before disinfection operation in front of the Fort Railway Station in Colombo, Sri Lanka (Photo: IANS)


The Sri Lankan government aims at total relaxation of the curfew restrictions imposed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic by June, according to the Minister on Friday.

The Minister that the government was targeting the total lifting of all restrictions by early June depending on the progress after May 11 when it will partially relax few curbs, the Daily Mirror newspaper reported.

The President Gotabaya  Rajapaksa expressed these views during a meeting with the members of the newly-appointed Task Force held at the Presidential Secretariat on Thursday to discuss modalities relating to the resumption of civilian life and work from May 11.

Rajapaksa was also of the view that new opportunities were now open to attract tourists from countries where the pandemic had subdued.

While members of the Task Force were told to pay attention to promote domestic tourism so that the local hotel industry could be saved from collapse, the President also pointed out the possibility of attracting more foreign investors to invest in the Port City and the Industrial Zone in Hambantota.

The government imposed curfew restrictions in March after the corona cases escalated.

The first Sri Lankan national infected with the disease was reported on March 11.

As of Saturday, there were 835 COVID-19 cases in the country, with nine deaths.