The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) said the viral illness affecting children in the Deniyaya area, where dozens of cases have been reported, has been linked to meningitis.
According to GMOA, between 45 and 50 children with symptoms consistent with viral meningitis have been reported at Deniyaya Base Hospital over the past two to three weeks.
Assistant Secretary and media spokesperson of the GMOA Chamil Wijesinghe said preliminary investigations indicate the illness is caused by a viral infection believed to spread mainly through contaminated water.
“There is also a slight possibility of transmission through the respiratory system and close contacts,” he said in the statement.
Authorities warned that schools, daycare centres and tuition classes could face a higher risk of transmission due to the concentration of children.
Reported symptoms include fever, severe headaches, neck stiffness or pain, sensitivity to light, vomiting, loss of appetite and body aches.
Long-term complications or fatalities linked to the illness appear to be minimal, but stressed that early diagnosis and treatment are essential.
Specialist teams from the Epidemiology Unit have launched investigations in the area to identify the source and origin of the outbreak and implement control measures.
Health officials urged residents to avoid panic while taking precautions, including using clean or boiled drinking water, maintaining food hygiene and practising proper handwashing.
Authorities also advised people visiting crowded places to wear face masks and clean their hands thoroughly afterwards.
The outbreak currently appears to be limited to the Deniyaya area, with no similar cluster reported elsewhere in the Matara District or other parts of the country. (
