The global toll of COVID-19 continues, with more than 4,500 deaths reported across 23 countries in just a month, according to the latest World Health Organization (WHO) report covering December 9, 2024, to January 5, 2025. Despite this, Sri Lanka’s health authorities have maintained that the risk to the local population remains low.
Health Ministry Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe downplayed concerns over a potential resurgence, assuring that precautionary measures are in place. “The overall risk to the public is still low,” he said, emphasizing that the government is prepared to respond if the situation changes.
However, critics point out that Sri Lanka lacks publicly accessible updates or surveillance reports from the Ministry of Health or its Epidemiology Unit regarding vulnerable groups such as the elderly, children, and immunocompromised individuals. In contrast, countries like Hong Kong and Singapore have proactively recommended vaccination and facilitated access to updated COVID-19 vaccines.
Globally, the coronavirus has infected over 760 million people and claimed 6.9 million lives since it first emerged in Wuhan, China, five years ago. While the pandemic no longer dominates headlines, the virus remains active and deadly.
Closer to home, regional countries continue to report new cases and fatalities. In South Koreawhere around 30,000 Sri Lankans are employed—the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency recorded 146 hospitalizations from May 4 to May 10. Weekly figures show 100–200 hospital admissions over the past two months.
Singapore has reported 83 deaths due to COVID-19 in 2024, while Thailand’s Disease Control Department documented 49,065 new cases between May 11 and 17, and another 12,524 from May 18 to 21. The country has also recorded 30 COVID-related deaths this month.
China reported 164 fatalities in May alone. In the United States, the CDC flagged a potential rise in infections in Hawaii and Nevada as of mid-May.
Sri Lanka, while not currently facing a visible surge, remains deeply connected to these affected regions. Between January and April this year, nearly 21,000 Sri Lankans travelled to Singapore, with an average stay of four days.
In October 2024, Sri Lanka received a US$18 million grant from the World Bank-hosted Pandemic Fund to improve its future pandemic response infrastructure.
As the virus continues to evolve and circulate, experts caution that vigilance and transparent reporting are vital, even if current risk levels appear low. The global nature of travel and labor migration—especially to countries with active cases—means that no nation can afford to ignore the lingering threat of COVID-19.
