School clean ups ordered to face dengue threat
Nadira GUNATILLEKE
The Health Ministry has informed all school authorities to have all
schools cleaned op on or before April 23, the date of commencement of
schools after the New Year vacation in the wake of the countrywide
outbreak of dengue.
The diseases has already claimed over 43 lives, a Health Ministry
spokesman said.
According to the spokesman, all school principals and school heads
have been adviced to clean their schools on April 23 or before (with the
assistance of parents) to destroy all dengue mosquito breeding sites
that have mushroomed in all school buildings and compounds during the
school vacation.
This is required to protect school children and teachers from dengue
fever. So far over 9,700 dengue patients and 43 deaths had been reported
from all parts of the country. Over 3,000 dengue patients have been
reported each month this year and over 15 deaths reported during this
year.
Over 56 per cent of dengue patients had been reported from the
Western Province and Colombo is the most affected district. Ideal
conditions for dengue mosquito breeding exist due to warm day time and
rainy evenings/nights, he said. A pilot project is now in progress in
the Gampaha district - one of the most affected districts in the country
- to implement dengue mosquito breeding control activities more
effectively.
A chart with dengue mosquito breeding sites, the date of removal etc
is being issued to each household and it should be maintained by the
house owners. The chart should be checked and signed by PHIs and Grama
Seva Niladharis. Health authorities from higher levels (Provincial and
Regional) also check and sign the chart. The project will be extended to
few other districts too, he added.
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