Colombo, Oct 2 (IANS): Sri Lankan authorities have lifted a nationwide quarantine curfew after 42 days, but imposed strict health guidelines including a ban on public gatherings and allowing people to leave their houses only for essential work.

According to the Health Ministry, the new health guidelines would be imposed strictly to avoid another wave of the Covid-19 pandemic which has so far infected 517,377 people since March last year and caused 12,906 deaths, reports Xinhua news agency.

The guidelines include a complete ban on all types of public gatherings including parties, events and religious festivals as well as allowing people to leave their homes only for employment, medical purposes, and essential work.

"The coming one month will be crucial as the transmission of the virus still exists. We urge the public to maintain all health guidelines as well as wear tight-fitting masks, maintain hand hygiene, social distance and take their vaccines," Deputy Director-General of Health Services Hemantha Herath told Xinhua.

Offices and public institutions have been urged to work on minimum staff while public transport will resume to normal two weeks later.

A nationwide quarantine curfew came into effect from August 20 as the country faced a rapid third wave of the pandemic, triggered by the highly contagious Delta variant, health officials said.

The officials added that the rate of infections had presently drastically reduced due to the quarantine curfew and the virus load in patients had also decreased.