Apr 23, Colombo: Sri Lanka Defense Secretary Major General (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne said there was no necessity for Sri Lanka to seek assistance from the military of other countries to combat the spread of coronavirus in the island.

Responding to the recent Indian media reports which said that Indian Army is preparing to send teams to other South Asian countries including Sri Lanka to fight the coronavirus, the Defense Secretary said the Sri Lankan Tri-Forces and the Police had already proved their capabilities in containing the spread of coronavirus.

“Our military has already shown their expertise and professionalism in handling the emergency situation created under coronavirus threat,” he said.

The Defense Secretary said Sri Lanka would set an example to other countries, which were battling with coronavirus, on how a country could use its intelligence agencies with the military and health authorities effectively to control the spread of the highly infectious virus.

“Sri Lanka’s intelligence agencies have been used to trace people who are closely associated with coronavirus positive patients and also their whereabouts to direct them to the 14-days quarantine process,” he said.

The Defense Secretary referring to the reports that the Indian Army would be deployed in Sri Lanka to support country’s efforts to control the spread coronavirus, said no such dialogue had taken place between the two nations.