Thermal scanners installed, SriLankan staffers briefed, and quarantine unit geared up as the deadly Coronavirus claims at least 41 and nearly 1,300 other confirmed cases are reported from several countries as of yesterday.
Officials at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) said thermal scanners were set up at the airport to monitor passengers who have fever. If detected, the potential patient is directed to the Health Desk at the BIA for screening.
Airport and Aviation Services (AAS) Spokesperson H. S. Hettiarachchi said equipment and facilities were provided to health officials at the BIA to monitor such patients.
If a potential (Coronavirus) patient is detected at the airport’s Health Desk, he (or she) will be taken to the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH), Angoda for further monitoring and treatment. Chief Epidemiologist at the Health Ministry’s Epidemiology Unit Dr. Sudath Samaraweera said steps were taken to facilitate suspected patients at the IDH.
Meanwhile, the AAS said in a statement that onboard announcements are also made in all the inbound flights to Sri Lanka, requesting the passengers who have visited and been transited from China to report to the BIA Health Desk before the immigration process.
Major General (Rtd.) G. A. Chandrasiri, the Chairman of AAS added, the BIA has taken all precautions to contain the virus and BIA officials have been educated and directed by the Ministry of Health to take action to detect and isolate the viral infected cases on arrival. The officials are following the criteria outlined by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi told Parliament on Friday that there were no Coronavirus cases detected in Sri Lanka.
“The President and the Prime Minister spoke to me, concerning the virus outbreak and instructed me to take measures,” she said, adding that all precautions were taken to make sure the country is safe from the outbreak.
She said that the only case that was reported from the BIA’s Health Desk was of a Chinese child who was directed to the IDH, and following a check-up, the child was released after confirming that he did not have the virus.
Issuing a statement SriLankan Airlines said it has ‘implemented a series of precautionary measures to mitigate the risks from the Coronavirus epidemic in the Far East, with the safety and well-being of its valued passengers and staff being of paramount importance’.
“SriLankan’s cabin crew and other staff have been briefed on action to be taken onboard and at airports, especially those in the Far East. The airline is also in contact with aviation and health authorities who are involved in monitoring the situation,” the statement said.
China expanded its lockdown on cities as the death toll reached 41 by Saturday. The Coronavirus was first discovered in the city of Wuhan in December, and since has spread to mainland China and several other nations, such as Japan, Thailand, South Korea, the United States, Australia, France, Malaysia, Singapore, Nepal and Vietnam.
India has isolated and is closely monitoring 11 patients, seven from Kerala, over fears that the patients were infected by the virus.
According to the WHO, common signs of infection, include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.
“It is expected that further international exportation of cases may appear in any country,” WHO warned. It added that all countries should be prepared for containment, including active surveillance, early detection, isolation and case management, contact tracing and prevention of onward spread of 2019-nCoV infection and to share full data with WHO.
Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is also on high alert as the Chinese increased holiday travel as it embarked on the Lunar New Year - the country’s biggest festive holiday. In 2019, 217,477 tourists from North East Asia and 68,904 from South East Asia travelled to Sri Lanka, according to statistics by the Sri Lanka Tourism Authority in December. Some 167, 863 tourists arrived from China.
In another step to mitigate the potential harm, the Foreign Relations Ministry has informed the Sri Lankan Embassy in Beijing to immediately evacuate 40 Sri Lankan students studying in Wuhan Province.
“The Sri Lanka Embassy in Beijing is monitoring the evolving situation of the Coronavirus infection in China and is discussing with Chinese authorities in Beijing and Wuhan as well as Sri Lankans in Wuhan and other parts of China,” the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Beijing said in a press release.
It added that the Embassy has created a WeChat group by which the latest information is being updated and information from Sri Lankans in Wuhan also has been received.
“Upon the advice of the Ministry of Foreign Relations, the Embassy is in discussion with the Chinese authorities and other embassies in Beijing to explore the possibilities of evacuating Sri Lankans in Wuhan,” the statement by the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Beijing added.
The following officials of the Sri Lankan Embassy in Beijing can be contacted for any information in this regard: Alexi Gunasekara, Minister/Commercial +8613070138025, Kalpa Sanjeewa, Minister Counsellor/Defence +8613051733302, Inoka Weerasinghe, Second Secretary+8615116905523, andThilini Gunaratne, Second Secretary+8613121722296.