As per reports, on Thursday (29 January), the Secretary to the Ministry of Health and Mass Media has announced that the risk of Nipah virus spreading to Sri Lanka is ‘very low’.

He further announced that while several cases of the virus have recently been reported in the Indian state of West Bengal, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has not recommended any international travel restrictions.

• He additionally added that Sri Lanka has a robust disease surveillance system to quickly detect potential cases. The Medical Research Institute (MRI) is equipped with laboratory facilities to diagnose Nipah virus efficiently.
• The Ministry of Health is prepared to provide a rapid and effective response should any suspicious case arise, emphasizing readiness to protect public health.