Colombo, May 10 (PTI) Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has instructed authorities to impose inter-provincial travel restriction with immediate effect to combat the current surge in coronavirus cases, his office said on Monday.

The restrictions will be in force until May 30. The decision was taken after President Rajapaksa met with health sector stakeholders.

The President also instructed to cancel all gathering and events. Further, the number of people entering any business establishment should be restricted and authorities are ordered to locate and isolate localities with rising numbers of COVID-19 infections.

The restrictions were imposed as Sri Lanka recorded 2,672 coronavirus cases on Sunday, the highest-ever single-day count recorded so far in the island nation since the pandemic began last year, authorities said on Monday.

The coronavirus cases are surging as health authorities continue to struggle to provide care for the confirmed cases. The government said action to create 10,000 care beds has been fast tracked.

Sri Lanka has recorded a spike in the number of people infected with the coronavirus after the health guidelines were disregarded during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)