Nipah risk to Sri Lanka ‘Very Low’ amid regional cases, Health Ministry says

Colombo, Jan. 29 (Daily Mirror) - The Secretary to the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, Dr. Anil Jasinghe, has reassured the public that the risk of the Nipah virus spreading to Sri Lanka is very low.

In a statement, Dr. Jasinghe noted that while several cases of the virus have recently been reported in the Indian state of West Bengal, the World Health Organization (WHO) has not recommended any international travel restrictions related to these incidents.

“Nipah virus is primarily found in animals, especially fruit bats, and human infections are rare, occurring only through close contact with infected animals or contaminated materials,” Dr. Jasinghe explained. He added that human-to-human transmission is possible only through prolonged close contact, emphasizing that Nipah is not an airborne virus like influenza and does not spread easily through casual interaction.

Dr. Jasinghe further highlighted that Sri Lanka has a robust disease surveillance system in place to quickly detect any potential cases. The Medical Research Institute (MRI) is equipped with the necessary laboratory facilities to diagnose such diseases efficiently.

“The Ministry of Health is fully prepared to provide a rapid and effective response should any suspicious case arise,” the Secretary assured, emphasizing the country’s readiness to protect public health.