The National Dengue Control Programme stated that the Aedes aegypti mosquito population who transmit the dengue virus to humans has increased by 29.5 percent.
According to the programme, this increase has occurred in the second week compared to the first week of this year and 2,951 dengue cases have been reported during the week from January 8 to 14.
Meanwhile, 6,689 infected persons have been reported in the last 18 days since the beginning of this year and one dengue death has been reported.
The number of cases reported from Colombo is 1,391 while 1,320 cases from Jaffna, 583 cases from Gampaha, 261 cases from Kalutara, 456 cases from Kandy, 305 cases each from Kurunegala and Puttalam, 227 cases from Kegalle and 174 cases from Ratnapura have been reported so far.
The highest number of infected people of 33.4 percent, has been reported from the Western Province. Doctors advice that if a person has fever for more than two days, he or she should suspect it is a dengue and seek treatment from a qualified doctor. Doctors also advise that dengue can be prevented by keeping the environment clean so that mosquitoes cannot breed.
(dailynews.lk)
