The number of deaths caused by the deadly dengue disease has risen to 30 so far this year, according to health authorities.
Officials have confirmed that the total number of dengue cases reported across the island has now reached nearly 49,000.
Health authorities have also warned that dengue is currently spreading rapidly across 14 districts in the country.
The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) stated that more than 25,000 of the total reported cases have been recorded from the Western Province alone.
With nearly a week remaining until the end of this month, the number of dengue cases reported during the month has already approached 15,000.
The sharp increase in infections has placed significant pressure on the country’s healthcare system. Several major hospitals, including the Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH) in Angoda, the National Hospital of Colombo, Kalubowila Teaching Hospital, and Gampaha District General Hospital, have already reached their maximum capacity.
The Government Medical Officers’ Association further warned that if the current trend continues, there is a serious risk that the situation could exceed the country’s capacity to control the outbreak, potentially leading to a “hyper-epidemic” dengue situation in Sri Lanka.
