Over 160 MOH areas declared high-risk zones as dengue cases top 76,000

By Mangala Pavithrani

Colombo, July 20 (Daily Mirror) - Sri Lanka has reported 76,044 dengue cases so far this year, with the disease continuing to spread rapidly across the country, the National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU) said.

The NDCU said 2,652 new cases were reported yesterday (July 19) alone. In response to the worsening situation, 162 Medical Officer of Health (MOH) areas have been identified as high-risk dengue zones.

Health officials pointed out that dengue cases have increased sharply over the past few months, particularly following the onset of the southwest monsoon. A total of 8,590 cases were reported in May, while the number more than doubled to 21,537 in June.

The NDCU also said 20,666 cases have already been reported during the first 19 days of July.

A total of 53 dengue-related deaths have been reported this year, with a case fatality rate of 0.07%.

The Western Province accounts for more than half of all reported cases, with 40,009 infections, representing 52.61% of the national total. The Southern Province has recorded 11,707 cases (15.40%), followed by the Central Province with 6,431 cases (8.46%).

At the district level, Gampaha has reported the highest number of cases, with 15,910, followed by Colombo with 15,110. Of the cases reported in Colombo District, 3,073 were recorded within the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) area.

Other districts reporting high numbers of dengue cases include Matara (5,330), Kandy (5,111) and Kalutara (5,010).

Health authorities urged the public to eliminate mosquito breeding sites in and around their homes and workplaces. They also advised anyone experiencing fever or flu-like symptoms not to self-medicate and to seek medical attention without delay.

Click here for Daily Mirror’s real-time dengue tracker to access up-to-date statistics, including the overall number of reported dengue cases, total related deaths, and a detailed district-wise breakdown of the country's hardest-hit regions.