Colombo declared high-risk as special dengue control week announced

Colombo, June 12 (Daily Mirror) - A special dengue control week will be launched across the Colombo District from June 15 to 21 amid concerns over the rapid spread of the disease, with health authorities identifying Colombo as a high-risk district.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Colombo District Dengue Control Committee, chaired by Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya at the Colombo District Secretariat today (12).

According to the National Dengue Control Unit, around 39,100 dengue cases have been reported islandwide so far this year, with 25.8% of them recorded from the Colombo District alone. Authorities noted that dengue cases have increased significantly compared to the corresponding period last year.

Health officials told the committee that the current surge is linked not only to the nature of the circulating virus but also to the lack of sufficient immunity among the population. They added that recent heavy rainfall has further aggravated the spread of dengue.