According to the instructions of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, President’s Secretary Mr. Saman Ekanayake has informed all Provincial Chief Secretaries  in writing today (09) to take all precautionary measures to prevent  the spread of dengue.The President’s Secretary has also instructed the Armed Forces and the Police to extend their fullest cooperation to the Chief Secretaries in accordance with the requirements of the Dengue Control Program.

During the previous week, 1896 dengue cases were recorded throughout the island, with the Western Province reporting the highest number of cases (49%).

In the Western Province, 21% of dengue cases have been reported from Gampaha district, 18% from Colombo district and 7% from Kalutara district. Among them, 3.4% of dengue cases have been reported from the Colombo Municipal Council area alone.Furthermore, a considerable number of patients have been reported from the districts of Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Kandy, Galle, and Kegalle.The districts of Colombo, Gampaha, and Kalutara have recorded an increase in patients compared to the previous week.

In response to a query the following information was submitted by the Chief Secretaries of all Provinces regarding the spread of dengue.• This year, 6678 dengue cases have been recorded in the Colombo district, 7166 in the Gampaha district, and 1902 in the Kalutara district, for a total of 15,746 dengue cases reported in the Western Province.

• This year, the North Central Province has recorded 364 dengue cases, including 209 from the Anuradhapura district and 155 from the Polonnaruwa district.

• This year, 1481 dengue cases were recorded in the Kandy district, 503 in the Matale district, and 57 in the Nuwara Eliya district, for a total of 2401 dengue cases in the Central Province. There have been two dengue-related fatalities.• There have been 556 dengue cases recorded in Uva province, including 445 in Badulla district and 111 in Monaragala district, with one fatality reported.• In 2023, Sabaragamuwa province recorded 1878 dengue cases, while Ratnapura district reported 708 dengue cases and one fatality. In the Kegalle area, 1170 dengue cases have been documented, with no fatalities.• This year, 3,458 dengue cases have been recorded in the North West Province, including 1069 from the Kurunegala district and 2389 from the Puttalam district. The North West Province has recorded three dengue fatalities.

• This year, 1966 dengue cases have been reported in the Southern province. There have been 918 dengue cases recorded in the Galle district, 536 in Matara, and 512 in Hambantota while three dengue fatalities have been reported in the Southern province.• There are 269 dengue cases in the Eastern Province, including 108 cases in Trincomalee district, 106 cases in Batticaloa district, and 55 cases in Ampara district. So far, three dengue deaths have been reported in the Eastern Province.• 1326 cases of dengue have been reported in Northern Province, 1121 cases of dengue in Jaffna district, 51 cases of dengue in Kilinochchi district, 27 cases of dengue in Mannar district, 33 cases of dengue in Mullaitivu district and 94 cases of dengue in Vavuniya district. 02 dengue deaths have been reported in the Northern Province.

The second and third types of dengue virus are currently the most commonly reported, while the third type of dengue virus is still spreading after 14 years. According to Health Department, the spread of dengue fever has also increased since immunity is low.

Provincial Chief Secretaries confirmed today that the Department of Health Services, its regional health services directorate offices, and local government agencies have already implemented a comprehensive disease prevention program under the supervision of public health inspectors.

As a result, the heads of government institutions, schools, and other institutions should be informed to check and clean places where mosquitoes can breed, inspect all houses and shop premises in urban and rural areas, make loudspeaker announcements, and visit areas where dengue cases have been detected. The provincial Chief Secretaries also stated that they are taking the necessary steps to control the spread of dengue fever, including destroying dengue-carrying mosquitoes in the surrounding areas, fumigating, conducting spot checks, and identifying mosquito larvae, as well as taking legal action against those who fail to keep the premises of houses and institutions clean.

Meanwhile, health officials are underlining that their participation is not sufficient to ensure the success of the dengue control campaign, and that public support is also required.