Masks to remain mandatory against COVID-19 in Sri Lanka: official

Colombo (Sri Lanka), February 22: Sri Lanka's health authorities on Monday said face masks will remain compulsory for outdoor events considering that the South Asian country still records over 1,000 new cases of COVID-19 on a daily basis.
In rejecting reports that the rule of wearing a face mask would be removed, COVID-19 Coordinator Anwar Hamdani told journalists in the capital Colombo that there have been no related discussions held by the government or the health ministry.
"It is too premature to arrive at such a decision in a situation where we are yet to complete a satisfactory percentage in booster rollout," Hamdani said.
In 2020, Sri Lanka made it mandatory for all citizens to wear a face mask in outdoor activities, and those defying this order can face fines or even a jail term.
The country, in recent weeks, has seen a surge in COVID-19 infections due to the spread of the Omicron variant of the virus, with over 1,000 new cases reported per day.
While hospitals have the capacity to treat a rising number of COVID-19 patients, the health authorities have urged the public to continue to observe all the related health guidelines.
Sri Lanka has confirmed 636,837 COVID-19 infections with 15,994 deaths since the pandemic hit the country in March 2020.
Source: Xinhua