COLOMBO, Aug 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Sri Lanka reported nearly 50,000 cases of dengue, in the first eight months of this year, according to the National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU).
Local media, quoting the NDCU yesterday said that, 49,941 people have been admitted to hospitals for dengue treatment, in the past eight months.
Half the cases were reported from the Western province, comprising Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara districts.
Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) Chief Medical Officer, Ruwan Wijemuni, told journalists, 12,754 cases were reported from Colombo, 7,496 from Gampaha and 4,731 from Kalutara.
Wijemuni said, they are facing multiple challenges in their annual mosquito control programmes, as the CMC lacks funds to purchase chemicals and insecticides used to control the dengue mosquito population.
Reported cases of dengue usually increase between June and Aug, and between Nov and Jan, Wijemuni said.
He said, mosquito eradication campaigns are hampered by fuel shortages, as well.
