Over 170 persons have been identified as having come into direct contact with the COVID-19 patient detected from the Welikada Prison today, Army Commander Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva said.
The Army Commander said 177 persons, who are from the Welikada prison and the group that returned from the Kandakadu Quarantine Centre, have been subjected to PCR tests.
Meanwhile, the Department of Prisons said visitors will not be allowed at the Welikada Prison following the detection of the COVID-19 patient.
Earlier today, Director General of Health Services Dr. Anil Jasinghe said an inmate at the Welikada Prison in Colombo was detected with COVID-19.
He said the inmate had been transferred from the Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre in East Kandakadu for those addicted to drugs and controlled substances, to the Welikada prison on 27 June.
The prisoner was brought to the prison from the rehabilitation center due to court proceedings that were to be attended by him.
Dr. Jaisnghe said that PCR or COVID-19 tests were underway on the infected prisoner and those around him, while a quarantine process will be implemented.
All prisoners and Prison Officials at the Welikada prison will undergo testing and quarantine, he said. (Newswire)