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Beruwala UC in urgent appeal to arrest rising dengue cases among youth
A PHI inspects a rainwater gutter containing stagnant water
New dengue cases being reported from Beruwala area show a large number of young people have become victim to the mosquito-borne disease.
Addressing a dengue awareness campaign, Beruwala Public Health Inspector E Tharaka Priyan urged the people to take precautionary measures to protect themselves and their children from dengue fever and take immediate medical treatment when symptoms were evident.
He said in the past week alone, 6 people between the ages 20-25, two 15-year-old boys were among 20 people who were being treated in hospital for dengue in the Beruwala Urban Council area.
Although, Covid-19 is a major concern, dengue also needs to be given equal importance, he said.
He said those living in partially built upstair houses or houses with rooftop slabs must be more careful as mosquito breed in water collected in uneven slabs.
The PHI called on residents to regularly clean rain gutters, refrigerators and air conditioners to deny the mosquitoes a breeding place.
UC Chairman Mazahim Mohamed said that not only Covid-19 cases, but dengue cases were also on the rise in the area, and called on people to inform local council authorities when a dengue case was detected, so that the council could take steps to clean up the area concerned.
He said the UC had plans to carry out fogging in schools as the government was planning to reopen schools on a staggered basis.
