Dengue menace infects 3,000 in ten days this month

The monsoonal rains over the past several weeks is raising fears of dengue, prompting advice to homeowners to eliminate mosquito breeding sites.

In the first 10 days of this month the number of dengue patients seeking treatment in hospitals countrywide was a record 3,088 triggering alarm bells among health authorities.

Of this, Colombo District reported the highest at 941 patients. Gampaha had 430 patients and Kalutara 300.

According to the National Dengue Control Unit, patients from Colombo District in May have been high at 1,675 in

Colombo, 688 in Kalutara and 680 in Gampaha.

In 2021, in the same month, Colombo reported 588 patients, nearly half that in 2022.

Also, Kalutara reported 99 patients and Gampaha 211 last year.

There have been infections in areas that had little or no patients in 2021. Jaffna reported 382 compared with two patients last year.

Batticaloa reported 243 patients, while in 2021 the number was less than 50%, or 115.

Also, Kandy had reported only 53 patients in 2021 compared with 422 in 2022 for the same period.

NDCU director Dr. Sudath Samaraweera said that the figures were alarming and that every day over 1,000 patients have been reported in the past 10 days.

The total number up to June 10, stood at 27,294.

He said in November and December 2021 and January 2022 there had been a high number of patients and that infections slowed down in following months. But, with advent of the monsoonal rains last month, infections have gathered momentum.

The NDCU has identified 27 high risk medical officers of health divisions where the numbers have been high.

This includes Colombo, Kalutara, Gampaha, Galle, K a n d y, Tr i n c o m a l e e , Trincomalee Naval Base, U p p u ve l l i , Ratnapura, Godakawela, Eheliyagoda,

Balangoda and Embilipitiya.

The Lady Ridgeway children's home said several children of school-going age are infected.

As of Friday the hospital is treating 20 children, all under 14 years of age. The NDCU advised people to clean up their premises to remove mosquito breeding sites.

Dr. Samaraweera said the rains have left pools of water in potholes in household gardens and on roads. Meanwhile, the hand, foot and mouth disease has also raised its head once again.

Dr G. Wijesooriya of LRH asked parents of children presenting a rash in the mouth and hands and with a high temperature, to seek immediate medical attention.