The Secretary to the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, Specialist Dr. Anil Jasinghe, said that the risk of Nipah virus spreading in Sri Lanka is very low. He said this while issuing a press release explaining the facts about the Nipah virus.
Although several cases of Nipah virus have been identified in the Indian state of West Bengal recently, the World Health Organization has not recommended imposing international travel restrictions, the statement said.
The Nipah virus is mainly spread among animals. It is an infectious condition found especially among bats. It can rarely be transmitted to humans when there is close contact with animals or objects infected with the virus. The statement also states that this virus is not a virus that spreads easily through the air like influenza.
The Secretary to the Ministry of Health has also stated that a strong disease surveillance system is in place in Sri Lanka to identify patients quickly, and that the Ministry of Health is fully prepared to respond immediately if any disease is detected.
He emphasized that the Medical Research Institute also has the necessary laboratory facilities for diagnosis.