The Ministry of Health has established an emergency hotline 1390 for the public to obtain free medical advice on symptoms of COVID-19.
The hotline has been established by the Ministry of Health as a measure to stop the spread of the coronavirus to doctors, nurses and other persons who unknowingly come into contact with individuals with minor symptoms.
Issuing a press release, the Health Promotion Bureau of the Ministry said the public have been urged to refrain from heading to hospitals if they are suffering from symptoms such as cough, fever or phlegm.
They have instead been requested to contact via the 1390 hotline and to obtain free medical advice from a doctor, who will help ascertain the symptoms, the Bureau said.
The Health Promotion Bureau said doctors consulting through the hotline will verify symptoms, and if necessary assist in the admission of the patient to a hospital and will also help dispatch an ambulance through the 1990 Suwasariya free ambulance service.
Services via the 1390 hotline will be provided in all three languages, Sinhala, Tamil and English, for the convenience of the public, it added.