Dengue cases spike as weather provides ideal breeding sites | Sunday Observer
Medi snips:

Dengue cases spike as weather provides ideal breeding sites

22 August, 2021

Dengue cases have spiralled sharply with a total of 11387 suspected dengue cases reported to the Epidemiology Unit from all over the island from January 2021 up to August 15.

Approximately 38.5 % of dengue cases were reported from the Western Province.

Starting from 1905 suspected cases in January, the number of cases began slowly coming down till they hit a new low at just 745 in May this year.

However, in June with the onset of the monsoons the figures rose to 1,326 and in July soared to 1, 788 bringing the total to 11,387. Colombo district maintained is dubious position as having the highest number of cases in August ( 58) which however is a sharp drop from 635 in July.

Likewise most of the districts have shown a sharp drop in cases over the previous month – Kalutara from 141 cases in July to eight, Kandy from 125 suspected cases in July to 18 in August, Matara from 111 suspected cases in July to 16 in August, Kurunegala from127 suspected cases to just eight in August.

“This is because we are continuing to be vigilant and carry out our various operations to eliminate breeding sites such as fogging and cleaning drains and school grounds as well as public buildings that are at high risk for breeding the mosquito larvae” regularly in spite of the Covid 19 pandemic”, a health official said on grounds of anonymity.

The Epidemiology has meanwhile urged the public to cooperate in regular removal of possible mosquito breeding sites from the environment, while Epidemiology Unit officials said that the strengthened patient education on management of fever has resulted in a relatively low mortality.

Health officials have urged patients to seek medical attention in the event of fever and to do relevant laboratory investigations at least by day three of the illness.

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