News
50,000 hospitalised with dengue in eight months
View(s):CMC runs out of chemicals and insecticides used in the control of the aedes mosquito
By Chrishanthi Christopher
The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) has a record of four per cent of patients reported, with around 12,754 patients reported from the Colombo district in the past 32 weeks, the NDCU said. Other districts that reported a high number of cases include Gampaha (7496), Kalutara (4731), Kandy (3995), Galle (2913) and Ratnapura (2357).
When questioned on the high patient numbers CMC authorities said they were faced with multiple challenges in their mosquito control programmes conducted annually.
CMC Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ruwan Wijemuni said the CMC had run out of chemicals and insecticides used in the control of the aedes mosquito.
He said the routine control programmes usually done during the rainy months of June, July and August had been restricted as the CMC did not have enough funds to buy the chemicals needed. The prices of the chemicals had skyrocketed with appreciation of the US dollar.
Dr. Wijemuni said the price of Lambda Cyhalothrin that was sprayed on the walls of houses had skyrocketed, and the chemical was now four times the former price.
Abate larvicide used to eradicate the vector in its larval stage and chemicals used in thermal fogging had also become expensive. Stocks available, if used sparingly, would last for the next two months, he added.
He predicted difficult times ahead between November this year and February next year, if swift action was not taken to replenish the shortage.
Dengue cases usually intensify between June and August and between November and January tapering away thereafter, the doctor added.
CMC activities had also been constrained by the fuel crisis. The diesel shortage had prevented the transport and operation of fogging machines. Moreover, the CMC had been short of staff during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, and until recently the CMC was only open for three days a week, due to the fuel crisis.
“We have to depend totally on the people to remove mosquito breeding places and keep their environment clean,” Dr. Wijemuni said.
Dr. Wijemuni said the staggering number of dengue cases reported in the CMC area was due to a dense population of around 24,000 people living within a square kilometre. He added that this area had many slums and other low income households in high rise apartment buildings.
“The CMC area is also bordered by areas which are usually infected with a lot of mosquitoes; the Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia MC, Kotte, Pita Kotte and Narahenpita–which has many high rise buildings,” he said.
He said discussions are ongoing with the Prime Minister and Health Ministry officials to procure the required chemicals swiftly and avoid a health calamity in the near future.
Meanwhile, NDCU officials said had been a slight improvement in the number of people catching dengue fever, and reporting to state hospitals across the island.
A total of 1590 patients were reported last week compared to 1915 patients reported the week before. NDCU Director Sudath Samaraweera attributed the improvement to reduced rains across the country.
However, he warned the people to be vigilant and keep their houses and gardens free of mosquito breeding places. Offices, schools and public places should also be kept clean and free of mosquito breeding places, he added.
“Those with a fever or a high temperature should only take paracetamol. If the fever continues for more than 24 hours, they should visit a general practitioner or the nearest hospital,” he advised.
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