Dengue raises its head once again

A total of 22,873 suspected dengue cases have been reported islandwide by the Epidemiology Unit this year.   

According to sources 24 dengue related deaths were reported from January to end May. The highest number reported has been in the Colombo District, 4,900 with 623 recorded in May, Gampaha District second, with 2,916 cases and 244 reported in May, while Kalutara with 1,649 cases and 269 cases in May took third place.   

Kandy District had 1,471 cases with 175 cases in May, while Galle had 1,754 cases with 387 in May and Matara, 1,937 with a drop to 31 from the previous month and Ratnapura, 1,129 with 170 in May.   

The Colombo Municipal Council area registered 952 suspected cases up to mid June while other areas in Colombo had 4,900 cases showing an increase from 471 in April to 501 in May. In another news report the Galle Municipality has registered a high number of dengue cases, while Hikkaduwa, Elpitiya, Habaraduwa, Akmeemana and Balapitiya were said to be high risk dengue zones by health authorities.   

The Southern Province Governor Keerthi Tennakoon was quoted as saying at a discussion with health and defence authorities at the Government Secretariat auditorium recently that a combined dengue control programme by Health, Education and the Police was needed to control its spread, especially, in dengue breeding sites detected in private residences, schools and construction sites.     

Kandy District had 1,471 cases with 175 cases in May, while Galle had 1,754 cases with 387 in May and Matara, 1,937 with a drop to 31 from the previous month and Ratnapura, 1,129 with 170 in May.