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COLOMBO RESUMES PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Colombo resumes public transport after recording no COVID transmission
COLOMBO, June 8,2020 (BSS/XINHUA) — Sri Lanka’s Transport Ministry on Monday said it had resumed public transport services in capital Colombo and the outskirts of Gampaha after over 2 months no reported public transmission of COVID-19 since April 30.
Transport Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said buses and trains had resumed normal services in Colombo and Gampaha from Monday, but strict health guidelines would be maintained.
This included carrying only a limited number of passengers per trip, all passengers had to wear face masks and distance had to be maintained between passengers.
Further, an additional number of passenger buses were deployed on the roads on Monday to cater to the high demand of passengers, the minister said.
Sri Lanka has recorded over 1,800 cases of the COVID-19, out of which 990 have recovered and been discharged, bringing down total active cases to over 800. Eleven deaths have been reported from the virus.
A curfew continues to be imposed nationwide from 11:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. local time to prevent public gatherings at night while the public has been urged to follow strict health guidelines when staying outdoors.
BSS/XINHUA/IJ/2045 hrs