According to Dr. Mahipala, Zika tests are carried out in India.

Sri Lanka obtains laboratory services from India. Arrangements have also been made to educate the public and health staffs on the disease. The IDH Hospital is ready to treat Zika virus infected patients.

The disease is not serious as Dengue but when pregnant mothers get infected with Zika they give birth to children with microcephaly. It is caused due to the virus affecting the development of the brain, he said.

The World Health Organization declared the Zika virus a global public health emergency on February 1 evening according to recommendations made by a committee of independent experts on International Health Regulations.

Deputy Director General of Health Services Dr. Jayasundara Bandara said there is no real danger as stated in certain media but since the Aedes mosquitoes are in Sri Lanka, we have to be vigilant and raise awareness.

“We have to pay more attention towards the subject ‘Migration Health’ because Zika can enter into Sri Lanka from the infected persons arriving from affected countries,” he said.