Dengue: 674 patients, seven deaths this year

Sri Lanka recorded 674 dengue patients and seven deaths from all parts of the country this year, upto last Thursday.

Last year, 28,112 dengue patients and 185 deaths were reported, Health Ministry Epidemiology Unit consultant epidemiologist Dr. Hasitha Tissera said.

Addressing the press on the National Mosquito Control Week at the Family Health Bureau yesterday, Dr. Tissera said that 34,000 dengue patients and 246 deaths were reported from the country in 2010.

"Dengue claimed 346 lives while there were 35,000 dengue patients in 2009. Only 0.6 dengue patients die in Sri Lanka at present.

"The most affected is the Western Province. Colombo and Gampaha districts claim 50 per cent of the total number of dengue patients reported from all parts of the country," Dr Tissera said. He said Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Ratnapura and Kurunegala districts have been identified as high risk districts.

"However, the number of patients reported had decreased by 20 percent when compared with the previous year.

"The number of dengue deaths had also decreased by 25 percent," Dr Tissera said. NG