COLOMBO, May 26 -- Sri Lankan health authorities have confirmed a sharp rise in cases of viral meningitis across several parts of the country, with rapid transmission reported among schoolchildren and prison inmates, prompting emergency health advisories and intensified containment measures.

The Health Ministry's Infectious Disease Control Division has issued special emergency guidance to health institutions nationwide following surveillance reports indicating widespread transmission of the virus linked to meningitis. More than 150 schoolchildren across the country have so far been identified with suspected or confirmed infections.

The outbreak has been reported mainly in parts of the Central and Uva Provinces, particularly Welimada, Di...