There is an 80 per cent reduction in the number of dengue cases reported islandwide compared to last year, Director, National Dengue Control Unit, Ministry of Health, Dr. Hasitha Tissera says. Although 41 dengue related deaths were reported islandwide this year, Dr. Tissera said there has been no rise in the number of cases. According to statistics by the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society, over 320 deaths were reported last year. Around 2,780 dengue cases have been reported so far this month, while last month there were 6,392 cases, statistics from the Epidemiology Unit, Ministry of Health, reveal.
Around 36,000 people have been infected by the fever so far this year. Around 22,270 cases were reported in August last year and in the previous month, July, the figure was 41,121, while the total number of infected persons was 186,101. This year, the most number of dengue patients totalling 6,937 (785 in August so far) was reported from the Colombo district.