A total of 83,811 dengue cases and nearly 95 confirmed dengue deaths have been reported from all parts of the country within this year as at December 6, whereas last year (during the entire year) only 58 dengue deaths were reported, the Epidemiology Unit sources said.
It’s an alarming rate when compared to the previous year, the sources said. Therefore, the public should be vigilant on all types of mosquito breeding sites and destroy them on a regular basis. At least 30 minutes per week should be allocated to clean mosquito breeding sites, they said. The Western Province recorded a total of 37,946 dengue cases which is the highest so far.
With the ongoing rainy condition, the Epidemiology Unit has identified five high risk districts. They are, the Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Ratnapura and Galle districts. The Colombo district recorded a total of 17,336 dengue cases which is the highest. Gampaha (second) reported 13,198 cases. The third highest, 7,412 were reported from the Kalutara district.
Meanwhile, medical experts and consultants advise pregnant women to get admitted to a hospital on the first day of fever and the public should seek medical treatment for any type of fever without delay and without applying home remedies.
All fever patients need rest and they should not attend work or school.
Fever patients should take paracetamol only and should not take aspirin, ibuprofen, diclofenac sodium or mefenamic acid which are Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) and Steroids such as Prednisolone, Methyl-Prednisolone and Dexamethasone.
These drugs cause Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) which can become fatal, they said.