Likelihood of more COVID-19 cases, warns PHIs' Union
There is a strong possibility that the number of people hit by COVID-19 will rise in the near future even though currently the country is seeing around 300 cases per day, said the President of the Public Health Inspectors’ (PHIs’) Union, Upul Rohana.
He pointed out that a lot of positive cases are being reported from the Western Province workforce and these people have gone home to their villages during the Avurudu season. They are now in their homes and positive cases are being found in those areas.
“During shopping for the Avurudu, crowds gathered without taking preventive measures and it is guaranteed that there will be positive cases/clusters reported,” said Mr. Rohana, adding that this week many were visiting relatives and friends which could also lead to a spread of the infection.
They have identified positive cases in people’s homes and have controlled them somewhat, but some positives may have slipped under the radar.
People are taking public transport but are not adhering to precautions, while also going on trips evident from accommodation and transport bookings, he said, citing the example of holiday-makers flocking to Nuwara Eliya and the east. This could also lead to a COVID-19 spread.
Lamenting that it is a very difficult task to control the public, “no one listens to us within Colombo”, Mr. Rohana urged for tougher laws to be set in place so that people would listen to the PHIs.
“We have to look for positive cases, track their contacts, quarantine them and more on one hand and on the other, we have to look at food safety issues. The coconut oil issue has burdened us with more work,” he added.