No decision on lifting on-arrival ban

No decision has been taken yet as to when the on-arrival ban imposed at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Katunayake, will be lifted, said the Vice Chairman of Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Limited (AASL), Rajeewasiri Sooriyaarachchi.

The airport is open for departures and transits, he said, explaining that discussions are underway with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the International Air

Transport Association (IATA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) on the opening of the airport for others.

However, special flights are bringing back Sri Lankans from many countries. From the time the first group was brought in from Wuhan, China, 6,000 including around 2,500 in the past two weeks have landed at the BIA. All have been sent to quarantine centres. While all the aircraft are disinfected, the crew members are asked to self-quarantine themselves for 14 days, it is learnt.

Explaining the changes at the BIA, Mr. Sooriyaarachchi said that a new entry pathway has been established for arrivals to the country. When the airport opens, these passengers will go through a disinfection process.

Four people, one an AASL staff member and three from the cleaning service had got infected with COVID-19. They have recovered and been discharged from hospital. All their contacts were traced, quarantined and all precautions taken, he added.

Ports

While passenger ships are barred from calling at Sri Lanka’s ports, cargo ship operations have been carried out without interruption, the Additional Managing Director of the Sri Lanka Ports’ Authority (SLPA), Upali De Zoysa said.

Any crew members of cargo ships who disembark are sent into naval quarantine centres.