The Ministry of Health has affirmed that Sri Lanka is prepared to handle a potential bird flu outbreak and has implemented necessary preventive measures accordingly.
In a statement issued today, the Health Ministry clarified that the World Health Organization (WHO) has not issued any special public health advisories concerning bird flu at this time. Additionally, there are no current travel restrictions in place, and the WHO continues to monitor the global situation.
To proactively monitor and detect potential cases of bird flu, Sri Lanka’s Health Ministry, through its Epidemiology Unit and the Medical Research Institute, is conducting daily tests in 20 hospitals across the country.
Furthermore, the ministry emphasized that the Virology Department of the Medical Research Institute is equipped with PCR tests specifically designed to detect various strains of bird flu, including H9, H7, and H5.