Fifty percent drop in dengue cases compared to 2010
Nadira Gunatilleke
Dengue
* No. of cases as at July 27, 2010 - 25,000
*No. of deaths as at July 2010 - 200
* No. of cases as at July 2011 - 13,516
* No. of deaths as at July 2011- 100
There is a 50 percent drop in the number of dengue cases in the
country when compared to the situation that existed in July last year, a
Health Ministry spokesman said.
“A total of 25,000 dengue cases and nearly 200 deaths were reported
up to July 2010. A total of 13,516 dengue cases and 100 deaths were
reported by July 27, 2011,” the spokesman said.
“The highest number of dengue cases, 5,141 were reported from the
Colombo district, followed by Gampaha district 1,964 and Kalutara
district 753. The total number of dengue cases from Batticaloa is 647
while Ratnapura recorded 539 cases,” the spokesman said.
‘A review meeting on the dengue control programme was held at the
Health Ministry yesterday, where it was decided to continue all ongoing
programmes to arrest the incidents of dengue,’ he said.
‘Medical treatment available for dengue patients at state hospitals
is to be further improved. Training programmes on advanced dengue
treatment for all specialist doctors are continuing. About 40 training
programmes have already been conducted,’ the spokesman said.
‘Under an ongoing project, 72 state hospitals will be upgraded with
High Dependency Units (HDU) to provide ICU care for dengue patients. A
single HDU costs Rs 5 million. The Medical Research Institute (MRI) will
continue its entomology studies countrywide. Countrywide dengue cleaning
programmes will also take place as planned to destroy all possible
mosquito breeding sites,’ he said. |