Sri Lanka reverses plan to end lockdown as coronavirus cases spike

A Sri Lankan Navy personnel (R) wearing a facemask stands guard at a checkpoint during a government-imposed nationwide lockdown as a preventive measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus, in Colombo on April 26, 2020. – Sri Lanka has reversed plans to end its virus lockdown on Aril 27, extending it for another week after a spike in coronavirus infections including at a naval base. (Photo by LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI / AFP)

COLOMBO — Sri Lanka has reversed plans to end its virus lockdown on Monday, extending it for another week after a spike in coronavirus infections including at a naval base.

Within hours of announcing that the nationwide restrictions imposed on March 20 would be lifted, the government revoked the order and extended them until May 4.

Health officials said there had been a jump in cases, including in a densely populated area in the capital Colombo where 81 people tested positive.

There has also been an increase in the number of sailors found to be infected with the coronavirus at the Welisara naval base to 65, the officials said.

The entire naval base in the Colombo suburb of Welisara where 4,000 sailors and their families live was placed into quarantine late last week after 30 sailors tested positive.

One officer at the camp died late Saturday night but the cause of death was leptospirosis or “rat fever”, said navy spokesman Isuru Suriyabandara. His body was still immediately cremated under the quarantine rules for coronavirus victims.

The island nation on Sunday reported 460 positive cases in total with seven deaths.