22 June 2017 01:03 am
Updating the media on the status of the epidemic in the city, Dr. Wijeymuni said that according to statistics, the Colombo City would have 421 dengue patients per 100,000 of the resident population. “However, there had only been 2,740 patients reported from the city. Which
Reading out statistics, the CMO stated that there were 298 dengue patients per 100,000 of population across the country. However, with at least 45 percent of the patients being reported from Western Province, statistics showed there were 448 dengue patients per 100,000 in the Province. With at least 200 deaths reported due to the epidemic, 50 percent of which was reported from the Western Province, the three deaths reported from Colombo C i t y was a relief.
If we inspected one hundred houses, 10 to 12 percent of the houses would have potential breeding areas, this has to be brought down to 5 to 6 percent,
“We can’t say that we are happy about the situation but there aren’t many deaths reported from the city,” he said.
The number of potential dengue breeding grounds had to be reduced to ensure there is no outbreak. “If we inspected one hundred houses, 10 to 12 percent of the houses would have potential breeding areas, this has to be brought down to 5 to 6 percent,” he said.
At least two percent of the residential areas, was also found to have dengue larvae, which again should be brought down to one percent. “These numbers are much higher in some areas in Kalutara and Gampaha,” the CMO said. However, the solution to the dengue epidemic was not the reduction in breeding grounds and larvae but eradication of it.
“The public seem to have forgotten the initial measures we took to ensure children would not be affected by the fever.
Measures, such as wearing long sleeved shirts and long pants and using mosquito repellents are some simple measures that can be taken,” he said. Speaking of measures taken to eradicate dengue breeding grounds, Dr. Wijeymuni stated that officials fumigated areas which had reported high number of dengue patients.
He said that houses had been inspected with warning given when potential dengue breeding grounds were found and legal action taken during extreme cases.
When compared to previous years the number of dengue patients had not reduced during February and March but had continued to increase.
“The peak period for dengue is June and July and November and December. This time we had to deal with an increasing number of patients from the beginning of the year and we can see signs of it increasing now as well,” he said. The CMO also stated that 86,639 residents had been inspected with 8,216 potential breeding grounds and 897 breeding grounds found.
All seven ports come under Dengue radar
BY DARSHANA SANJEEWA
In accordance with the recommendation by President Maithripala Sirisena a dengue eradication programme had been implemented in all Government institutions, an
Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe initiated this programme at the Colombo Port recently. Deputy Minister of Ports and Shipping Nishantha Mutuhettigama, L.P. Jayampath, Secretary to the Ministry, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority Dr. Parakrama Dissanayake, P.G. Dasanayake, Vice Chairman and a group of employees of SLPA were present on the occasion.