Over 30 dengue deaths, 20,000 cases to date

More than 20,000 dengue cases have been reported from all over the country for the past six months claiming 31 lives, the dengue Eradication Programme of the Health Ministry said today.

A statement issued by the Health Ministry said out of the 20,731 cases reported so far 47.61 cases had been reported from the Western Province.

It has been revealed that mosquito breading has increased in the areas affected by the recent floods in the Kelani valley due to the inability of the relevant local authorities to remove the garbage that has still been piled up in various places in the area.

The workplace related mosquito breading has increased from 38 per cent in 2015 to 40 per cent in 2016 and the breading in school premises has increased to 38 per cent this year from 32 per cent reported last year, the statement added.