One death from dengue and more than 70 cases of dengue fever have been reported from the Kandy district. The victim is a student of Hillwood College, a girls’ school in Kandy. Dengue is reported to be raging in Watapuluwa, Mawilmada and Katugastota, areas close to the Mahaweli River. Dr. G. M. Gajanayake of the Kandy General Hospital’s community health unit said the authorities were taking action to check the spread of dengue and advising residents on precautionary steps to take.
Dr. Asoka Senerath of the Kandy Municipal Council health unit told The Sunday Times that 34 dengue cases were reported from municipal council zone itself, and that patients were coming from Galagedara, Wattegama and Werellagama.
Dr. Senerath said the Mahaweli authorities and schools in Kandy have been instructed to be extra vigilant in ensuring the environment is kept clean and not conducive to the breeding of mosquitoes. He said legal action would be taken against those who failed to do so.
Letters about the spread of dengue have been sent out to schools, organisations and residents. A programme is being drawn up to clean Kandy district’s main water sources, especially the Meda Ela and Hali Ela areas. |
E-mail