Sri Lanka has reported nearly 70,000 dengue fever cases through today, including 210 deaths. This compares to approximately 24,000 cases during the same period in 2016.
The country’s health minister, Rajitha Senaratne is blaming the surge in dengue on the piling up of garbage in parts of the country. “The situation could get worse if we don’t tackle the garbage problem quickly”, he said.
They have even resorted to calling up the military to help with the garbage crisis.
Stagnant and standing water likely contributed to the increase in the mosquito-borne viral disease.
Of the cumulative total of dengue cases reported to date, more than 15,000, or 21 percent have been reported in the capital city of Colombo. Approximately 42 percent of dengue cases were reported from the Western province.
The Ministry of Health says the situation warrants regular removal of possible mosquito breeding sites from the environment. It is also important to seek medical attention in the event of fever by day three of the illness.
Related:
- Human plague tally rises to three in Santa Fe County, New Mexico
- South Africa: 25,000 birds killed in H5N8 avian influenza outbreak on Mpumalanga farm
- Gonorrhea: Possible new treatment uses peptide that interferes with respiratory enzyme
- Blastocystis: The latest research and developments
- Nigeria: After six months, meningitis outbreak over
- Clostridium perfringens the cause of Rifle Rodeo outbreak
