Medical staff attached to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Karapitiya teaching hospital have suspended work from today over the failure by the authorities to provide adequate protective face masks. Over 60 medical staff are demanding face masks to protect themselves from the A-H1N1 virus.

A doctor attached to the hospital speaking to Daily Mirror online said that only 5 masks have so far been provided to the staff who work on shifts of between 15-20 doctors and nurses everyday.

The doctor added that there are 7 patients receiving treatment at the ICU of the hospital of which 3 have been diagnosed with the A-H1N1 virus.