Another 30 naval personnel from the Navy Base in Welisara have tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) as of today, says the Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva.

Addressing the media briefing of National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 this evening, he said that the Welisara Navy Base has reported a record total of 60 coronavirus cases so far.

Sri Lanka saw the highest daily surge of coronavirus cases today, with 46 new infections including 11 from Bandaranayake Mawatha in Colombo 12. Accordingly, the country’s cases tally now stands at 414.

On Wednesday (22), it was reported that a Navy officer attached to the Welisara Navy Base tested positive for the virus upon admittance to Welikanda Hospital over a sudden illness.

Later it was confirmed that 29 naval personnel at the navy camp tested positive for the virus on Thursday (23).

The Army Chief says that a large number of PCR tests were carried out at the Welisara Navy Base since Thursday, leading to the detection of 30 new positive cases of coronavirus.

Welisara Navy Base has been put under complete isolation and every person within its premises are being quarantined, he added.

The Ministry of Health and the medical corps of Sri Lanka Navy are carrying out more PCR tests on the people who had been in contact with the coronavirus-infected naval personnel, the Army Chief continued.

He noted that all personnel of the Navy Base who recently went on leave have already been called back.

In the meantime, the families of these naval personnel have been directed to a separate quarantine centre, which was set up under the directives of the Navy Commander, Lieutenant General Silva said further.