Seasonal influenza claims nine lives

While admitting that the seasonal influenza spreading in the Southern Province had caused the deaths of nine individuals last month, Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Anil Dissanayake yesterday said the number of admissions to hospitals had considerably reduced this week.

Dr. Dissanayake told Daily Mirror that all nine deceased were infants and four of them had already been suffering from chronic diseases including heart disease. He also said the other infants who had died were those who were continuously getting treated for some health issue.

“More than 90 deaths were reported in 2017 due to this seasonal influenza which spread all across the country unlike in 2018. The seasonal influenza only spread in the Southern Province this year. However, there are possibilities of the influenza spread to the other areas also if preventive measures are not taken,” he said.

He said accordingly the spread of this disease had been brought under control and added that the damage it had caused was relatively low in comparison to last year.

He also said the Epidemiology Unit and the all other health authorities were on high alert and had taken all possible steps to mitigate the prevailing situation. (Kalathma Jayawardhane)