Speaker’s Media Unit has rejected media reports that Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardane has been sent on quarantine.

“The Speaker will attend to duties today (1) as usual,” the media unit said in a statement on Thursday.

It also said that an officer, who was assigned on a temporary duty from the Police Head Quarters after Speaker’s security vehicle had developed a sudden technical fault, had contracted COVID-19. He had been assigned on a temporary duty after Speaker’s security vehicle had developed a sudden technical fault.

But, the first PCR test conducted by the health authorities on the police officers who had close contacts with the said officer, were confirmed negative. They have been sent on 14-day self-quarantine process at the instructions of health authorities. Because of that, a separate police team has been assigned for the Speaker’s security,” it added.