Director of the Allergy Immunology and Cell Biology Unit at the University of Sri Jayawardenepura Dr. Chandima Jeewandara, has addressed public concerns over Sri Lanka’s capacity to test and diagnose monkeypox.
Taking to Twitter, Dr. Jeewandara said the Sri Jayawardenepura University laboratory has all necessary infrastructure to diagnose the disease.
He added the lab has already ordered the necessary reagents which are scheduled to arrive next week. More than 80 cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in at least 12 countries.
The World Health Organisation has said another 50 suspected cases are being investigated – without naming any countries – and warned that more cases are likely to be reported.
Infections have been confirmed in nine European countries, as well as the US, Canada and Australia.
Monkeypox is most common in remote parts of Central and West Africa.
It is a rare viral infection which is usually mild and from which most people recover in a few weeks.
Anyone who is concerned about Sri Lanka's capacity to test and diagnose #monkeypox : Our lab has all the necessary infrastructure to diagnose and we have already ordered the necessary reagents which will arrive next week.
— Chandima Jeewandara (@chandi2012) May 21, 2022
