Health Ministry urges vigilance amid global rise in COVID-19 cases

Health Ministry issues public advisory following slight global rise in COVID-19 cases since February 2025, based on WHO data Urges public to stay calm but cautious, especially during seasonal spikes in respiratory illnesses Assures current variants in circulation are not new; no evidence of increased severity or complications reported Sri Lanka sees slight increase in cases, with current positivity at around 2%, up from earlier 2025 levels Health Ministry Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe asserts authorities remain vigilant in monitoring disease trends, and public need not panic unnecessarily High-risk groups—seniors, pregnant women, young children, and chronically ill—are advised to take extra precautions Advises mask use for symptomatic individuals, hand hygiene and avoiding crowded places No need for hospitalisation unless symptoms like breathing difficulty occur Authorities remain vigilant; no new variants or major public health threats identified

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THE Health Ministry yesterday issued a public advisory following a slight global uptick in COVID-19 cases, calling on people to remain cautious, but calm.

“According to data from the World Health Organisation (WHO), a global increase in the activity of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, has been reported since February 2025. Based on the International Respiratory Surveillance System, several countries, including several countries in Asia, have reported a notable rise in COVID-19 cases in recent months,” it reads.

In May 2023, the WHO officially declared the end of the COVID-19 global pandemic status, and since then, COVID-19 has been treated as a disease that circulates endemically, similar to other common respiratory infections. It is a known phenomenon for the SARS-CoV-2 virus to undergo genetic mutations during its transmission.