Guidelines released to curb meningitis outbreak in schools

The Ministry of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education has issued a set of guidelines to all Provincial Education Directors on how to prevent the spread of meningitis, also known as “brain fever,” which is currently circulating in certain districts.

The ministry’s statement notes that the disease has a greater impact on children and individuals with weakened immune systems. It also states that infected cases were reported in April from the Deniyaya area in the Matara District.

It further adds that the disease has now been identified as spreading in the Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, and Badulla districts.

Accordingly, epidemiological and environmental investigations have identified both clustered and sporadic cases, with a higher number of school students among those affected.