There is a significant drop in the number of dengue cases this year compared to September 2012. There was a drop of around 10,000 dengue cases last month relative to September 2012, a Health Ministry spokesman said.

According to the spokesman, the number of dengue cases reported last month was 24,384 while 35,000 dengue cases were reported in September last year.

There is a decrease in dengue deaths too. A total of 80 dengue deaths were reported from January to September last year, but this year only 64 deaths had been reported due to the dreaded disease.

Over 47 percent of dengue cases so far in 2013 have been reported from the Western Province. Over 85 percent of mosquito breeding places are found in garbage or discarded items. Most of the discarded items are usually found near residences.

Around 27 MOH divisions in 10 districts have been identified as high risk areas.

They are Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kandy, Kurnegala, Puttalam, Ratnapura, Kegalle, Jaffna and Baticaloa, he said.

Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena has declared the National Mosquito Control Week from October 7 to 13 countrywide. "The public and all state and private institutions are called upon to destroy all mosquito breeding sites located within their properties in order to lower the dengue risk," he added.

source:www.dailynews.lk/local/drastic-drop-dengue-patients-deaths