Sri Lanka declares islandwide curfew amid COVID-19 outbreak

The South Asian country has so far confirmed 59 coronavirus patients while over 230 are under observation

COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan government declared a nationwide curfew starting at 6:00 pm on Friday and end at 6:00am local time Monday to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the island country.

In a statement, the President's office urged all Sri Lankans to abide by the curfew and stay indoors.

On Thursday, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa announced a seven-day work-from-home rule starting Friday in a bid to urge everyone to stay indoors.

Sri Lanka to impose national curfew as South Asia accelerates coronavirus battle

Government officials said the rule will remain in place till March 27.

Sri Lanka has so far confirmed 59 COVID-19 patients while over 230 are under observation in designated hospitals across the country.

Mosques closed

Mosques in Sri Lanka were shut indefinitely on Friday, but others in South Asia remained open on the most sacred day of the week in Islam. Many worshippers remained defiant despite state advisories in several countries to avoid large crowds.

Outbreaks in Malaysia and South Korea both worsened after carriers of the coronavirus attended places of worship.

“Don’t be afraid of this corona. This corona can’t be stronger than our belief,” an Islamic cleric said in a loudspeaker announcement in Rawalpindi, a city adjacent to Pakistan’s capital Islamabad.

“Saying prayers at the mosque is much better an act than sitting at home like a coward,” Nasir Jan, 56, a trader, told Reuters after attending mosque. “We all have to die one day, but that doesn’t mean that we start quitting our beliefs.”

Other mosques in the region screened people for high temperatures using thermometers and urged their faithful to practice greater social distancing during Friday prayers.

Following Modi’s appeal, a senior district official in the town of Ayodhya in India’s northern state of Uttar Pradesh, said he expected the state government to call off the Ram Navami Mela, a major Hindu religious gathering in the temple town.

“We’re expecting an official order in a couple of days and it will be in line with what our prime minister said yesterday in his address,” said the senior official.

The annual Ram Navami fair in Ayodhya brings millions of Hindus to the holy city. This year authorities were expecting a surge in numbers, as the foundation-laying ceremony of the grand Ram Temple was also expected to take place.

Prime Minister K.P.Sharma Oli of Nepal, in an address to the nation, said all international flights were suspended until March 31. Public and private offices, except those providing essential services, will be shut until April 3 as a precautionary measure against the coronavirus. Public buses running on long routes will be suspended, he said.

“Remain clean, stay away from crowds, stay at home as far as possible, be patient, don’t panic and don’t be influenced by rumours,” the prime minister said.

(With input from Reuters)