Over 17,000 dengue cases reported

Over 120 deaths:

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

Dengue fever is increasing rapidly with the ongoing rains and 124 persons are reported to have died as at September 2. Over 17,000 dengue cases have been reported from all parts of the country this year so far.

The public needs to be vigilant and attention should be paid on destroying mosquito breeding sites, a Health Ministry spokesperson said.

The Epidemiology Unit of the Health Ministry in its latest statistics revealed that 17,105 dengue cases had been reported from all parts of the country as at September 5. The highest number of dengue cases, ie 6,688 and 59 deaths, had been reported from the Colombo district. The Colombo Municipal Council area recorded 2,211 Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) cases and 23 deaths.

The other parts of the Colombo district recorded 4,477 dengue cases and 36 deaths, Gampaha district recorded 2,628 cases and 19 deaths, Kalutara 911 cases and six deaths, Batticaloa district 687 cases and nine deaths and Ratnapura district 658 cases. During last month 1,950 dengue cases had been reported from all parts of the country, according to statistics.

The Health Ministry requested the public to get immediate medical treatment for any type of fever. Children with fever should be given special attention. Doctors recommend bed rest even after the fever goes down because dengue can turn up again after a few days. Dengue Shock Syndrome or Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever can be fatal if not treated properly on time, the Health Ministry said.