Two transit passengers arrived at Sri Lanka international airport with symptoms of coronavirus infection admitted to hospital

Two transit passengers who arrived at the Bandaranayake International Airport in Colombo today, were suspected to be infected with the coronavirus, and referred to the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) in Colombo for further treatment.

Dr Chandika Bandara Wickremasuriya of the Airport Health Medical Unit said the two passengers arrived from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia at 3.45 pm today were ill showing symptoms of coronavirus infection.

One of the passengers, a 47-year-old Indonesian woman, during the flight had told a flight attendant that she was feeling cold and had difficulty breathing. The flight attendant immediately informed the pilot of the flight and informed the Katunayake Airport Control Room.

When the plane landed at the Katunayake airport, officials of the Airport Medical Unit escorted the passenger who had a fever of 101° F. She was immediately taken to the IDH in Colombo by a special ambulance.

The Indonesian passenger was on her way to the Middle East from Malaysia through Colombo.

The other passenger, a 37-year-old Pakistani national, who was aboard the same plane was taken to the Airport Medical Unit where he was found to have a fever of 102 °F. He was also sent to the IDH by a special ambulance at around 4.15 pm.