Sri Lanka Navy, this morning, brought ashore, a Philippine national suspected of having contracted COVID-19. The seaman was brought ashore from a container ship 'MSC Taranto' to the port of Colombo this morning (13). MSC Taranto is a container ship owned by a Liberian company. After the individual had shown symptoms similar to COVID-19, the MSC Lanka (Private) Limited, the local agent of the ship made a request to the National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 to get him disembarked in Sri Lanka for treatment. Accordingly, with the approval of the Ministry of Defence and direct guidance of Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Piyal De Silva, Sri Lanka Navy brought ashore the 36-year-old Philippine national named Solis Ryan today. The Navy's Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Unit approached the container ship which was approximately  05 nautical miles off the Colombo harbour and brought shore the patient strictly adhering to guidelines laid out by health authorities. Subsequently, the patient was disinfected on the harbour premises before rushing him to the Colombo National Hospital by ‘Suwasariya’ ambulance service.