210 at Welikada Prison tested negative for Covid-19 – Army Chief

A total of 310 individuals – including inmates and prison officers – at the Welikada Prison have been directed to PCR testing on Tuesday (07), says the Commander of Sri Lanka Army.

The test results of 210 of this group were received this morning (08) and all of them have tested negative for the virus, Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva said further.

Under the instructions of the President, 186 inmates at the prison were moved to a separate quarantine centre in Punanai supervised by the Army, last night. However, the quarantine procedure of these inmates will be handled by the prison officers, he added.

In the meantime, 07 prison officers attached to the Welikada Prison have also been directed to the quarantine process.

An inmate at the Welikada Prison was confirmed to have contracted the COVID-19 virus on Tuesday (07).

As the virus-positive inmate was transferred to the Welikada Prison from the Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre – East in Kandakadu, PCR tests were also carried out on all of those at the rehabilitation centre, the Army Chief said.