Russian cargo crew member flies back after being discharged from Hambantota centre

The Russian cargo crew member who was warded at the Hambantota COVID Treatment Centre was discharged yesterday and escorted by the army to the Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake, to take a flight back to Russia, said the centre’s Medical Administrator Dr. Suranga Ubeysekera.

Earlier, on Friday night the Health Ministry’s Chief Epidemiologist, Dr. Sudath Samaraweera said that a subsequent RT-PCR test (after the private hospital test) of the Russian who was at the Hambantota centre was negative which means that he is not very infective. An antibody test was being done at the Medical Research Institute (MRI) to check whether he may have got COVID-19 earlier and has recovered.

He reiterated that the authorities are looking at tightening the systems so that an incident like this would not be repeated. The decision to clear the Russians and allow them to go to a resort had not been made by the health staff or the army when they arrived.

“By now all the people in this country know that everybody who comes from abroad should be quarantined. No one can plead ignorance. Any hotel accepting those coming from abroad must strictly adhere to the quarantine conditions and should know how to do it. Otherwise it’s their fault,” said Dr. Samaraweera.

Earlier this week the Head of the National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 and Army Commander Lieutenant- General Shavendra Silva had expressed similar views to the media.