EXCLUSIVE: Chinese national Corona patient in Sri Lanka speaks to News 1st

Colombo (News 1st): The Chinese national woman who contracted the coronavirus continues to be monitored by a panel of specialist doctors at the Institute of Infectious Diseases. This is a look at the unwavering national service rendered by the Institute of Infectious Diseases with suspected cases of Corona Virus infections being reported from Sri Lanka. The News 1st team today visited the isolation unit of the Institute of Infectious Diseases. This is the first time since the coronavirus was detected in Sri Lanka that a media organization is touring the isolation unit of the Institute of Infectious Diseases. The isolation unit consists of several isolation rooms where patients suspected to have contracted coronavirus are being observed and treated. This includes the Chinese woman who was the first corona patient-reported from Sri Lanka. The entire staff follows stringent safety procedures when dealing with the patients here. The doctors and staff at this isolation unit have worked tirelessly to provide all the necessary facilities to the patients that are being treated here. Physiologist specialist Dr Eranga Naarangala noted that they were able to treat these patients without any issue because of the skill, dedication and work ethic of their staff. He added that they were able to cure the only case of Corona that was reported in Sri Lanka. Director of the Institute of Infectious Diseases Hasitha Attanayake said that other patients have some fear when they visited the hospital for treatment. He noted that certain companies that provided services at the hospital withdrew and the staff and the patients were isolated in the hospital. He went onto note that they were so dedicated that they did not have to be given orders or directions. Against a backdrop where the Corona Outbreak instilled such fear even in well-developed countries where patients were isolated and treated with the help of robots. The services provided by the staff at the Institute of Infectious Diseases against all obstacles that they faced should be admired by the entire nation. The global death toll from the coronavirus outbreak reached 910 and total confirmed cases increased to 40,171, as the World Health Organization’s chief voiced concern over the spread of the disease from people with no travel history to China. The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that confirmed cases of coronavirus being transmitted by people who have never travelled to China could be the "tip of the iceberg". These remarks come as members of a WHO-led "international expert mission" flew to China today, to help coordinate a response to the outbreak. Meanwhile, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases on a quarantined cruise ship off Japan almost doubled, bringing to 136 the number of infections in the biggest outbreak outside of China. Meanwhile, China’s ambassador to the U.S., Cui Tiankai, dismissed suggestions the coronavirus originated from a military laboratory or as part of biological warfare research and warned against such speculation. Meanwhile, millions of people returned to work after the Lunar New Year break, which was extended from 31 January to curb the spread of the virus. There are roughly 7000 Chinese nationals who are resident visa holders in Sri Lanka. However, this value does not reflect the true amount, as some of the Chinese Labourers do not fall within this category. Nearly 30-40% of the workers on major Chinese projects in Sri Lanka are nationals of that country while local companies to have started employing workers from China. While officially there are only around 15,000 Chinese workers in the construction sector here, unofficially close to 100,000 are believed to be working here. Speaking to News 1st, CEO of the Colombo International Financial City, which employs approximately 600 to 700 Chinese nationals said, the impact felt by the construction industry in Sri Lanka, over this issue, is only temporary. He added, The Chinese Nationals employed in the construction industry will return to Sri Lanka, and thereafter be quarantined for 14 days. He further said, once they are clear, they will return to work, and things will return to normalcy