240 deaths reported as dengue fever continues to spread in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, Aug 20, 2009
As of Thursday (Aug 20), the number of dengue fever cases in Sri Lanka slightly increased from the day before, reaching 23,791 cases, including 240 deaths, the Epidemiological Unit of Sri Lanka's Health Ministry reported. On Wednesday (Aug 19), 23,652 cases had been confirmed with 240 casualties. June was the hardest hit month, accounting for 7,050 cases, while July recorded a slightly lower number with 6,841 cases, according to the latest statistics released by the Epidemiological Unit, the China Daily reported. Both months alone surpassed last year's total number of dengue cases, which was only 4,156, including 85 deaths, a sharp increase in frequency compared to this year. Sri Lanka's areas of Kandy, Kegalle, the capital, Colombo, Gampaha and Kurunegala have endured the majority of the infections, health officials said. Because the level of the epidemic has rapidly increased, health authorities have conducted extensive public awareness campaigns in an attempt to rid the areas of the disease. Other measures have been implemented, such as keeping household environments free of mosquitoes. Households have been warned that if they are found to be allowing mosquitoes to breed in locations near stagnant water, they will face prosecution, the China Daily reported. The UN's World Health Organization says some 2.5 billion people, or around two-fifths of the world's population, are at risk of contracting dengue fever and estimate that there may be 50 million cases of the disease around the globe each year. Dengue fever is found in tropical climates, particularly in cities and peri-urban areas. Dengue fever, which is carried by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, causes symptoms of high fever, rashes, headaches and muscle and joint pain. Most dengue infections cause relatively mild illness, but some can progress into dengue hemorrhagic fever, which is a severe and often fatal complication of the disease.
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