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Sri Lanka has recorded more than 80,000 dengue cases and 53 deaths this year, with authorities stepping up efforts to control the country's worst outbreak in nearly a decade.
Mariyam Adheela
A municipal worker fumigates a residential area during a nationwide dengue prevention campaign in Colombo, Sri Lanka -- Photo: AFP
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka has reported more than 80,000 dengue cases so far this year, making it the country's worst outbreak in nearly a decade. Health authorities have also confirmed 53 deaths linked to the mosquito-borne disease.
The Sri Lankan government has deployed the military to help control the outbreak. Air Force drones are being used to identify mosquito breeding sites, while soldiers are assisting health workers with inspections and cleanup campaigns.
Health officials said the recent increase in cases has been driven by heavy
rains and the spread of the DENV-2 strain of the virus. Authorities have urged the public to remove stagnant water around homes and seek medical care if they develop symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, joint pain, or skin rash.
