The Foreign Relations Ministry in coordination with the Sri Lanka Embassy in Rome and the Consulate General Office in Milan has taken action to closely monitor and coordinate efforts to ensure the safety of Sri Lankans residing in Italy, following the recent rise of COVID-19 cases, particularly in the Lombardy Region.

According to the Sri Lanka Embassy in Rome and the Sri Lanka Consulate General Office in Milan, presently no Sri Lankans have fallen victim to the virus. Over 104,000 Sri Lankans reside in Italy of which approximately 60 percent are in the Lombardy region. The Missions are presently communicating with the health authorities in these regions and are in contact with Sri Lankan Temples, community leaders and all others concerned.

Sri Lankans visiting Italy, in particular, northern Italy are requested to be vigilant and take all necessary precautions in line with rules, regulations and safety measures issued by the local authorities for the contaminant of the virus.

Hotlines operated by the Embassy and Consulate are currently functional on a round-the-clock basis and a Help Desk is also operational in order to respond to the needs of the Sri Lankan community.