The Epidemiology Unit of the Health Ministry has issued a special set of guidelines to all health sectors and institutions on controlling and preventing the spread of Enteroviral Meningitis, amid concerns over its spread in schools and community-based settings.

The guidelines include information on suspected symptoms, clinical diagnosis and classification, modes of transmission, treatment and laboratory testing, public health practices, school-based precautions, clinical management and community-level control measures.

According to the Epidemiology Unit, the disease has been observed spreading rapidly among school-aged children. Fever, headache and vomiting have been identified as the main symptoms, while most patients are reported to recover within seven days.

Health authorities note that the disease can spread through contaminated food, water and unclean hands via the fecal-oral route, as well as through respiratory droplets released when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Symptoms are reported to appear within three to seven days after exposure to the virus.

The Epidemiology Unit advised the public to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water, cover the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing using a tissue or the inside of the elbow, avoid close contact with symptomatic individuals and ensure proper ventilation inside homes and buildings.

The guidelines were prepared under the supervision of Chief Epidemiologist, Dr Palitha Karunapema and a team of specialist doctors attached to the Health Ministry, following instructions issued by the Ministry of Health and Mass Media.

The circular has been distributed to Provincial Directors of Health Services, Regional Directors of Health Services, hospital directors, medical superintendents, consultant community physicians, epidemiologists and Medical Officers of Health (MOH) across the country.