The Ministry of Health and Mass Media has confirmed that there is currently no threat of the new XEC COVID-19 variant spreading in Sri Lanka and urged the public to avoid unnecessary panic. This assurance was based on the latest data from the Epidemiology Unit, as stated by Health Ministry Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe.
The announcement comes amid rising COVID-19 case reports in several Asian countries. While acknowledging these trends, the Ministry attributed them to factors such as declining public immunity and emphasized that no similar pattern has been observed in Sri Lanka thus far.
To ensure national preparedness, the Ministry has reinforced surveillance and public health measures. Dr. Jasinghe noted that clinical testing for COVID-19 continues across selected hospitals through an integrated respiratory surveillance system. “At present, these tests have not shown any significant increase in COVID-19 cases,” he said.
Sri Lanka’s laboratory surveillance system remains fully operational and equipped to detect early signs of any potential outbreaks. The Ministry also clarified that while respiratory illnesses like influenza are circulating from time to time, the risk of the new COVID variant spreading locally remains very low.
Special attention is being directed towards protecting high-risk groups, including the elderly, immunocompromised individuals, and those with chronic conditions. The public is advised to maintain basic health practices such as frequent handwashing and proper respiratory hygiene.
Reaffirming its commitment to transparency, the Health Ministry pledged to provide accurate and timely updates and stated that the country’s hospital system is well-prepared to manage any future developments.
Health authorities are closely monitoring the global and regional COVID-19 situation and urged the public to rely solely on official communications from the Ministry for information.
