• Dengue Eradication Week to begin today
• 41,144 cases, 24 deaths reported

Deputy Health and Mass Media Minister Dr Hansaka Wijemuni said the current spread of dengue is being driven by a new viral strain that many Sri Lankans have not previously been exposed to.

Speaking to the media yesterday (14), he said that because the new variant has not circulated widely in the country before, a larger number of people are susceptible to infection.

He said the Government would take all necessary measures to control the situation, but stressed that public cooperation was equally important.

"We expected periodic increases in dengue cases and have maintained a degree of preparedness. However, the virus responsible for the current outbreak differs from the strains that commonly circulate. Since many people have not previously contracted this particular strain, the risk of infection is greater," he said.

Dr Wijemuni noted that immediate priorities were reducing mosquito populations and ensuring that patients admitted to hospital receive timely treatment and recover without complications.

Meanwhile, a week-long national dengue eradication campaign will begin today (15) as health authorities warn that the number of dengue cases being reported across the country has risen to alarming levels.

The programme, which will run until 20 June, is being jointly implemented by the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, the National Dengue Control Unit, the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, and the Sri Lanka Police.

Preparations for the campaign were discussed at a special meeting held via Zoom, bringing together Chief Secretaries of all nine provinces, officials from provincial health, education and local Government authorities, representatives of all 341 local Government bodies, Medical Officers of Health, Public Health Inspectors, officers of the National Dengue Control Unit and the Police Environmental Protection Division.

The discussion was chaired by Deputy Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government Prabha Ruwan Senarath.

Addressing the meeting, Senarath said dengue could not be controlled solely through the efforts of the health sector or Government institutions, as the spread of the disease is closely linked to the environment in which people live. He stressed that public participation was essential if the country was to successfully contain the outbreak.

Representing the Health and Mass Media Ministry, National Dengue Control Unit Community Health Specialist Dr Jagath Amarasekara said that although around 1,000 dengue cases are usually reported each week in Sri Lanka, that figure has now been exceeded and the number of infections is continuing to increase significantly. He said the growing number of patients requiring hospital treatment is placing an increasing burden on the healthcare system and warned that dengue-related deaths could also rise if the trend continues.

National Dengue Control Unit entomologist Sakunthala Janaki said inspections carried out so far had found that educational institutions, particularly schools, accounted for the highest proportion of premises where mosquito larvae were detected, representing 41.8 per cent of such locations. She said larval density and mosquito breeding indices have also increased, with 28,913 breeding sites identified to date. According to her, around 26 per cent of these breeding grounds consisted of discarded items, while a further 14 per cent were associated with temporarily abandoned objects capable of collecting water.

National Dengue Control Unit Director Dr Kapila Kannangara said daily dengue admissions have also increased significantly. He said a total of 41,144 dengue cases have been reported so far this year, with around 51 per cent originating from the Western Province. He added that daily admissions had peaked at around 750 cases, although the figure has now dropped slightly to around 630 per day, which still remains a concerning level. Dr Kannangara also said that 24 dengue-related deaths have been recorded so far. He warned that hospital wards are becoming increasingly overcrowded and that some facilities have already issued red alerts due to patient numbers. 

Senior Superintendent of Police Manoj Perera, Director of the Police Environmental Protection Division, said the public could lodge complaints with the environmental police if mosquito breeding sites were found at construction sites, which are considered high-risk locations. He said prohibitory orders could be obtained through the courts under the Code of Criminal Procedure in relation to such premises.

Under the national campaign, public spaces including towns, blocked drainage systems, shopping complexes, religious sites and bus stands will be cleaned from today to 17 June. Schools, pre-schools and tuition centres will be cleaned on 18 June 18, while Government and private institutions and factories will conduct cleaning programmes on 19 June. The final day of the campaign, 20 June, will focus on cleaning private homes and their surrounding premises.