• Galle Hospital transformer catches fire 

Health Ministry Secretary Dr Anil Jasinghe has warned that Sri Lanka faces a risk of dengue cases exceeding the expected limits in 2026 due to the rapid spread of the disease. There has been a sharp rise in dengue patients since April. A total of 5,600 dengue cases were reported in April, followed by a total of 8,500 cases last month (in May), indicating a significant increase in dengue cases. “Generally, dengue has a tendency to reach epidemic proportions every few years. The red value in this case was in 2017. This year, the blue value in the graph is going up. We need to reduce this. Therefore, it is very important to act at this time. It is important to take action throughout the year. This may fluctuate depending on the climatic conditions.”

Meanwhile, the National Dengue Control Unit has identified Aedes aegypti as the principal mosquito species responsible for dengue transmission, warning that its unique feeding behaviour significantly increases the risk of the disease spread. Speaking to the media, entomologist Sakunthala Janaki stated that dengue is transmitted only by two mosquito species — Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Of the two, Aedes aegypti has been recognised as the main vector, with increases in its population consistently observed prior to major dengue outbreaks. Aedes aegypti exhibits a distinctive feeding pattern known as multiple feeding. Unlike most female mosquitoes, which typically obtain a blood meal from a single individual to complete their reproductive cycle, Aedes aegypti often feeds on several people within a short period. This behaviour is particularly evident in areas where small groups of people gather, enabling the mosquito to obtain the blood required for its life cycle from multiple hosts. Health experts also note that this characteristic enhances the mosquito’s ability to transmit the dengue virus rapidly. An infected Aedes aegypti mosquito can potentially spread the virus to several individuals within a short timeframe. Therefore, the authorities have emphasised the need for the continuous monitoring and control of Aedes aegypti populations as part of ongoing efforts to curb dengue transmission and prevent future outbreaks.

Elsewhere, an electricity transformer located within the premises of the Galle National Hospital’s Cancer Unit has reportedly suddenly caught fire. Hospital authorities, together with the Galle Municipal Council Fire Brigade Service, took immediate steps to bring the fire under control. As a result of the incident, the electricity supply to the Unit was temporarily disrupted.