Colombo, Aug 16 (IANS): In an renewed effort to curb the further spread of Covid-19, Sri Lankan authorities announced that a nationwide curfew would come into effect from Monday night until further notice as the number of confirmed cases surpassed the 350,000 mark.

Army Commander and Head of the National Operations Centre for the Prevention of Covid-19, General Shavendra Silva said the curfew would be imposed from 10 p.m. till 4 a.m. daily to prevent people from leaving their homes, reports Xinhua news agency.

However essential services will be allowed on the roads to complete their work, Silva said.

Sri Lanka is presently in the midst of a third wave of the pandemic with the overall patient count reaching over 354,000.

The total death toll from the virus reached 6,096.

Health officials have urged people to remain indoors as much as possible as doctors said the Delta variant was spreading in many districts, leading to hospitals being filled with infected patients.

Sri Lanka's Health Ministry has made it mandatory to wear face masks and maintain social distancing.