Sri Lanka, Jan. 30 -- Health authorities in Sri Lanka have assured the public that the risk of the Nipah virus (NiV) spreading to the country remains very low.Sri Lanka travel guide

The Secretary to the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, Specialist Dr. Anil Jasinghe, issued a clarifying statement following recent media reports regarding the detection of cases in West Bengal, India.

Dr. Jasinghe noted that while cases have been identified in the region, the World Health Organization (WHO) has not recommended any international travel or trade restrictions.

He emphasized that Nipah is a zoonotic disease primarily found in fruit bats and is not airborne like influenza.

Transmission to humans is rare and typically requires close, prolonged...