The number of dengue cases may increase due to the prevailing rainy weather conditions, said the Ministry of Health in a warning to the public.
In a statement the Ministry noted that the number of dengue cases may surge in the next two-to-three weeks with the eggs laid by dengue mosquitoes as their activity has improvised with the rainy weather of the past few days.
The Ministry also urged the public to keep their surrounding environments clean so that mosquitoes cannot breed, adding that anyone sustaining fever for more than 24 hours should be taken for treatment from a qualified medical doctor.
Accordingly, the Health Ministry is urging the public not to get exposed to mosquito bites.
With 1,152 cases of dengue being reported in the last week, a total of 59,317 cases have been identified this year, disclosed the National Dengue Control Unit.
The Unit added that 19,912 cases were reported in the first ten months of 2021 and the figure has significantly surged this year, with the highest number of cases being found in Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara districts.
Meanwhile, Kandy, Galle, Jaffna, Kegalle, Puttalam and Kurunegala districts have also reported a higher number of dengue cases in 2022 compared to the year before.
Measures have been taken to declare 36 medical officer divisions as high risk zones given the spread of the disease, said the National Dengue Control Unit.
MIAP