Is there a risk of a South African variant entering SL?

COLOMBO (News 1st): There is a risk of any variant entering the country, the Deputy Director-General of Health Services, Dr. Hemantha Herath says.

Speaking to the media today, Dr. Herath said that as public, assisting the health authorities is the only way to ensure that variants do not pose a large threat to the country.

" There is a similar risk of any variant entering the country. Any variant can mutate and enter the country through various means. We just have to be vigilant about variants for some time. These variants can be defeated by supporting health authorities and adhering to health regulations. " Dr. Herath said.

He further stated that there could be variants that have emerged and died down regionally, in the world.

" There are only several variants in our country. But considering the millions of deaths reported, you can imagine how many variants have emerged in the world by now. " He added.