Dengue takes alarming turn; public requested to exercise caution

The National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU) reports that the first five months of this year have seen over 25,000 dengue infections.

Over 10,000 cases of dengue were reported in January of this year. Through five months of this year, more than 25,000 instances have been reported overall.

In February, March, and April following January, there was a progressive decrease in the total patients.

According to Dr. Sudath Samaraweera, Director of the National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU), the discovery of dengue breeding sites in the majority of schools represents a serious risk.

Dr. Samaraweera added roughly one out of every five schools had mosquito larvae rearing sites found, and 9 percent of these sites were found in areas including spaces where tuition classes are being carried out.

After inspecting 93,874 locations, the NDCU has found 28,310 mosquito breeding sites.

Meanwhile, 4,890 sites containing mosquito larvae have been discovered.

According to Dr. Samaraweera, there was a surge in patients by the end of May, and given the current monsoon rains, there is a chance that this number would rise at some point in the future.

Health experts therefore advise the community to participate actively for dengue-free surroundings in the event of a dengue outbreak in the upcoming weeks.