Relatives of SL students trapped in Wuhan appeals to the UN office

COLOMBO (News 1st):- Relatives of students trapped in the Chinese city of Wuhan which is the epicenter of the Coronavirus outbreak, appealed at the United Nations office in Colombo to intervene and cater to the requirements of the students. In response, Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha said the Chinese Government is expediting the request made for a special aircraft landing in Wuhan City which will allow the evacuation of the Sri Lankan students and their family members. 33 Sri Lankan students are currently trapped in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Meanwhile, a special hospital is being constructed at the Diyatalawa Army Camp in order to quarantine the students who are expected to return from Wuhan for a period of 14 days. Construction activities are expected to conclude within the next 48 hours. Around 140 Sri Lankan students arrived from the Chinese cities of Shanghai and Beijing this morning (January 30). Four more chartered flights carrying Sri Lankan students are expected to arrive tonight. Further, 17 persons have been admitted to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases over suspicion of having contracted the disease. The Epidemiology Unit of the Health Ministry said that six persons were admitted between yesterday (January 29) and this afternoon (January 30).  Five patients had been discharged from the hospital yesterday after blood samples confirmed that they had not contracted the virus. Against a background where the risk of Coronavirus has emerged in Sri Lanka, large piles of garbage were seen dumped at areas in the North and the Eastern provinces. A large number of dengue patients have also been reported from these areas. 227 patients from Mannar, 189 patients from Mullaitivu and 100 patients from Killinochchi were reported during the past few weeks this year. 600 dengue patients have been reported from Vavuniya from last year to date.