Mar 23, Colombo: With the order to ban the people of the Northern Province leaving their home districts, the Jaffna-Kandy main A9 highway has been closed near the Irattuperiyakulam police station for travel, police said.

Only essential services can enter Vavuniya district and other Northern Province districts through this checkpoint and the general public is prohibited from entering or leaving the Province.

The Army and the Police jointly inspected the People who come to and leave for essential purposes through the checkpoint.

In addition, the Medawachchiya, Mannar road and the Vavuniya-Trincomalee road have also been closed.

The government has imposed the travel ban isolating the Northern Province after a pastor arrived from Switzerland and delivered a sermon in Jaffna was found to have been infected with the coronavirus.