Health Alert

Air quality in SL at unhealthy level: AQI

According to the real-time Air Quality Index (AQI), the air pollution level indicated in Sri Lanka’s atmosphere is still at risk and the country will experience unhealthy air quality conditions. Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Trincomalee, Puttalam, Dambulla, Matale, Negombo, Kandy, Colombo, Ratnapura, Ambalangoda, and Galle also indicated to have unhealthy air pollution level . Reports said these regions will experience unhealthy air …

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Special measles vaccination programme from next week

The Ministry of Health announced here on Thursday,31 Oct. that a special measles vaccination program will start from November 4 to 9. This program targets individuals who have not previously been vaccinated against measles or who have only received a single dose. According to Senior Epidemiologist at the Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Hasitha Tissera, the vaccination …

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Public Should Avoid Reusing Plastic Water Bottles

Health authorities have issued a public advisory urging people to avoid reusing plastic bottles for storing drinking water. The Food Safety Unit of the Ministry of Health highlighted that some individuals are reusing these plastic bottles for water storage. However, the unit warned that chemicals from the materials used in the production of these bottles can leach into the water …

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New COVID strain JN.1 is spreading fast. How worried should we be?

The new variant has spread across 41 countries as the WHO categorises it as a ‘variant of interest’. JN.1 has been detected in the US, India, China, France, Canada and many other countries [File: Petr David Josek/AP Photo] By Areesha Lodhi Published On 22 Dec 202322 Dec 2023   A new strain of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that caused the coronavirus pandemic four years …

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New Covid variant ‘Eris’ spreading across UK: Report

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said EG.5.1, which has been nicknamed Eris, makes up one in seven new COVID cases, a report said. The latest data suggests it now accounts for 14.6% of cases – the second most prevalent in the UK. Eris was classified as a variant on July 31 after its prevalence was recorded in the country …

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WHO declares highest alert over outbreak of monkeypox

The monkeypox outbreak has been declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization. The classification is the highest alert that the WHO can issue and follows a worldwide upsurge in cases. It came at the end of the second meeting of the WHO’s emergency committee on the virus. More than 16,000 cases have now been reported from 75 …

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