Mar 13, Colombo: The Government has requested the public not to get panic and stockpile goods from supermarkets and other retail shops due to fears triggered after some rumors of conducting house-to-house quarantines to detect Corona virus (COVID- 19) carriers.

Some fake news and rumors over rapid spreading of COVID -19, globally, and detecting two positive cases in the country, have resulted in some people rushing to supermarkets and other retail outlets and panic buying stock items like dry rations and other goods, yesterday

“With this sudden influx of buying goods in large quantities have prompted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to inform the public that there is no reason for them to get panic as the Government has not taken any decision to implement a house-to- house quarantine process,” Acting Chief of Defense Staff and Army Commander Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva said.

“Those bulk purchases in this manner would definitely lead to artificial shortages of essentials, which is not the case at all in the country,” he said.

“When people were suddenly purchasing food and other essential items in large quantities, it would create a shortage in those items in supermarkets and other retail shops, where they had stocked the goods sufficient only for three to four days,” he explained.

Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva, who has been functioning as one of the main coordinators for quarantine procedures has been advised by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to keep the public informed of ground realities, denies having any plan for house-to-house quarantine as alleged.

He informed that Armed Forces, engaged in quarantine procedures or the Government or Health Ministry officials have not taken any such decision whatsoever to the effect of quarantining the public inside their residences.

While requesting the general public not to be misled by some social media posts, Health Ministry and the Armed Forces assure that the public would be unfailingly advised well in advance, if at all any such move for quarantine were to be implemented in future.

The Army Commander said if there was an emergency situation, the Government would announce it in advance for people to get prepared to stockpiling necessary goods.

“Just because two confirmed cases of corona have been reported from Sri Lanka so far, there is no reason for the public to panic and keep stocks at homes,” the Army Chief said.