Dr. Padma Gunaratne, President of the Sri Lanka Medical Association, says that there is no other option but to close the country for at least fourteen days due to the rapid spread of the coronavirus.

No matter how much this decision has an economic impact on the country, there is no other option at the moment, she said.

The wards treating other patients in hospitals across the country are being set up for corona patients, and intensive care units are overflowing with corona patients, she said.

At present, about 3,000 patients are diagnosed every day, and more than 10,000 infected are being avoided, and therefore, there is no other option but to close the country to control this serious situation, she said.

She said these while speaking at a media briefing held by four leading medical associations in Colombo today.