File photo/Reuters
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - Sri Lanka on Friday extended the COVID-19 lockdown by another two weeks amid pressure from medical experts. The current lockdown was to end on Tuesday.
A special meeting of the COVID-19 Control Committee chaired by President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa decided to extend the measures until Oct. 1, according to presidential spokesman Kingsly Rathnayaka.
Medical experts have said although Sri Lanka has seen a decline in daily cases, oxygen requirements and deaths, it remains at risk.
The last 24 hours saw 2,314 confirmed cases.
The lockdown was first imposed on Aug. 20 and extended four times.
The government has allowed export-oriented factories and agriculture work to continue, in addition to essential services.
Sri Lanka has so far reported 496,423 confirmed cases and 11,699 deaths.
