The number of people found to be infected with the coronavirus in Sri Lanka in a day reached 1451 this evening, the highest daily total so far.
Yesterday (Tuesday) a record 1096 people were found to be infected in Sri Lanka which was the highest daily total at the time.
A number of areas in Sri Lanka have already been isolated as a result of the spread of the virus since the Sinhala and Tamil New Year.
Schools around the island have also been closed this week as a precaution while institutions have been instructed to operate using only essential staff.
A number of countries have also issued travel advisories on Sri Lanka after the country was placed on a coronavirus alert.
The US, UK, and Australia are among the countries that issued updated travel advisories on Sri Lanka.
The UK noted that Sri Lanka has been moved to Risk Alert Level 3 due to an increase in coronavirus cases.
The travel advice states that due to a prevalence of COVID-19 cases in the community, there is a high risk of changes to flights and airport operations at short notice.
“Lockdowns are being imposed in affected areas, and travel restrictions may also be imposed at short notice. Those not adhering to restrictions risk arrest. The local authorities are conducting random COVID-19 tests in some parts of the country, including borders of the Western Province. You should follow the advice of local authorities. Regulations are in place to enforce social distancing and the wearing of a face mask in public areas,” the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office said with regards to Sri Lanka.
Australia has advised its citizens not to travel to Sri Lanka.
“Do not travel to Sri Lanka due to the health risks from the COVID-19 pandemic and the significant disruptions to global travel,” the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has said.
The US says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 2 travel health notice for Sri Lanka due to COVID-19, indicating a moderate level of COVID-19 in the country.