• Advice to keep indoor environments also clean, prescribe only paracetamol for fever 

Over 27,600 dengue cases have been reported so far this year, and with the South-West monsoonal rains, there is a risk of dengue cases increasing further. It is therefore imperative to take urgent measures to minimise the spread of dengue.

Cautioning of this risk, Health Ministry officials further noted yesterday (26) that although the rise in dengue cases has not reached an uncontrollable level, it is crucial to prevent it from reaching an epidemic level as the country’s health sector would find it challenging to manage such a situation. They discussed the present status of dengue in the country during a press briefing held by the Health Promotion Bureau, where it was explained that compared to last year (2023), a gradual increase in cases can be observed, especially concerning the period from April to date. 

“We need to reduce the number of patients by taking appropriate control measures before the situation gets out of hand,” National Dengue Control Unit’s Consultant Community Physician Dr. Anoja Dheerasinghe noted, adding that all districts in the Western Province (Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara) and the Ratnapura, Galle, Kandy, Kurunegala, and Kegalle Districts have recorded the highest number of dengue cases. 

Dheerasinghe pointed out that although outdoor environments are more likely to have places where water gets collected, especially due to the rains, the public should pay equal attention to similar places in indoor environments. 

Moreover, Dr. Dheerasinghe expressed concerns about how the public deals with the symptoms of dengue. Adding that it is crucial to seek medical assistance in the event one experiences the relevant symptoms, she advised to use only paracetamol to treat fever, one of the most common symptoms of the disease, as other forms of painkillers may cause complications in the case of dengue.