Srilanka, June 3 -- Novel variants of SARS-CoV-2 virus that cause COVID-19 disease have not been detected in Sri Lanka, Health Ministry Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe said yesterday.

"The variant currently in circulation, first reported in many countries in 2024, is a sub-lineage of a previously known genetic variant. This same variant was detected in Sri Lanka in 2024, and tests conducted by the Medical Research Institute (MRI) in May 2025 confirmed the continued presence of these sub-lineages. These are not novel variants, and no evidence of increased severity or complications has been observed," he said.

Issuing a special media statement on the current COVID-19 situation in Sri Lanka, Dr. Jasinghe yesterday said that the World Health O...