Consultant Community Physician Dr. Nimalka Pannilahetti of the National Dengue Control Unit, yesterday said that over 2,000 dengue cases are reported every week.
She said that 50 percent of the currently reported dengue cases have been infected with Dengue type II virus and that the number of infected cases has risen to an epidemic level.
She made this comment while participating in a press conference held at the Community Medical Specialists’ Association headquarters, Colombo 7 yesterday.
She stated that since the beginning of the year, about 32,600 dengue cases have been reported and 16 deaths have occurred.
About 40 dengue-infected children are being treated at the Lady Ridgway Children’s Hospital in Colombo and parents should act responsibly to prevent liver damage in dengue-affected children, Consultant Pediatrician Dr. Deepal Perera said.
He said that even if children infected with dengue regain their health, those children should not work hard for two to three weeks and if the child’s liver is damaged, it can affect the brain.
Dr. Pannilahetti said that the highest number of infected people are reported from Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kandy, Kurunegala, Galle, Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Puttalam districts, and 51.7 percent of the reported infected people are from the Western Province.
About 75 percent of people infected with dengue virus do not show any symptoms and only have a high fever lasting between 2 and 7 days, headache and pain under the eyes, muscle and joint pain, nausea and vomiting, red spots on the skin and bleeding. The doctor said that if such symptoms prevail, then the person has been infected with dengue.
She also stated that symptoms of dengue that carry risks include severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, excessive sleepiness, restlessness, dizziness and fainting, not urinating for more than six hours or less urine output.
She said that aspirin, diclofenac sodium, mefenamic acid, ibuprofen, etc. belonging to the group of NSAIDs should not be given to control fever and only paracetamol should be used.