A President Mahinda Rajapaksa has instructed Health Ministry Secretary Dr. Nihal Jayatilleke to end the dengue menace soon no matter what the costs are, a Health Ministry spokesman said. According to the spokesman, President Rajapaksa had instructed that immediate measures be taken to eradicate the causes for dengue fever and he also assured that the government will allocate funds. The Health Ministry has already commenced countrywide dengue eradication programs.

The total number of dengue cases reported from Sri Lanka during the past eight months is over 22,000 while over 80 deaths have also been reported during the same period.

The most affected districts are Colombo (6,909 cases), Gampaha ( 2,623 cases) and Kurunegala (2,338 cases). The CMC recorded 2,137 dengue cases during the past eight months, he said.

"It is possible that the dengue prevalence may increase with the on going rainy whether conditions and therefore the public should destroy all mosquito breeding sites located inside buildings and in the surrounding environment.

Special attention should be paid to clean blocked gutters, burn leaves etc. Prompt medical treatment should be sought from a state hospital if any person shows symptoms of fever for more than one or two days," he added.

Source:www.dailynews.lk/?q=local/end-dengue-menace-soon-possible