Public urged not to have undue fears about bacterial infections at Galle Prison

The Epidemiology Unit emphasizes that the general public should not have undue fears about the meningococcal meningitis bacterial disease condition.

The Director of the Epidemiology Unit, Dr. Samitha Ginige mentioned that patients suffering from the same illness are reported in Sri Lanka every year, adding that it is not an uncommon occurrence.

Earlier this week, two inmates at the Galle Prison died while over a dozen others were hospitalized due to an illness that initially remained ‘unknown.’ The cause of death and hospitalization was later attributed to meningococcal meningitis, a bacterial form of meningitis caused by meningococcus bacteria.

“This is not an undiagnosed condition. This disease can spread through close association of the infected individuals”, the doctor added.

Spread of the disease at the prison has no effect on the community, Dr. Ginige said further.