COLOMBO – Sri Lanka’s dengue outbreak continued to intensify on Monday (6), with confirmed infections surpassing 61,000 and hospitals in the worst-affected areas coming under mounting pressure as health authorities warned the country was entering a critical phase of the epidemic.
The National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU) said a total of 61,060 dengue cases and 39 deaths had been recorded so far this year, with 2,604 new infections reported during the past 24 hours alone. The current case fatality rate stands at 0.06%.
The Western Province remains the epicentre of the outbreak, accounting for 32,054 cases, or 52.5% of all infections reported nationwide.
Colombo District has recorded the highest number of infections at 12,445, closely followed by Gampaha District with 12,282 cases.
The Southern Province has reported 9,674 cases, followed by Sabaragamuwa with 5,237, the Central Province with 4,823, the Eastern Province with 2,979, and the North Western Province with 2,778.
Health authorities have identified 142 Medical Officer of Health (MOH) divisions across the country as high-risk dengue zones, prompting intensified mosquito-control operations and public awareness campaigns.
The outbreak has accelerated sharply in recent weeks. June recorded the highest monthly caseload so far this year, with 21,546 infections, while 5,673 cases were reported during the first five days of July alone. The average weekly number of new cases had climbed to 2,604 by the end of the 26th epidemiological week.
The rapid increase in infections has placed significant strain on Sri Lanka’s healthcare system, particularly in the Western Province, where several hospitals have reached or are nearing capacity due to the influx of dengue patients.
Acting NDCU Director Dr Kapila Kannangara said the surge in admissions had created serious challenges for hospitals, with medical staff working under increasing pressure to manage the growing number of patients.
He said health authorities had developed a three-phase response strategy comprising short-, medium- and long-term interventions to control the outbreak. However, immediate emergency measures are being prioritized to ease pressure on hospitals and prevent further fatalities.
Officials have repeatedly urged the public to eliminate mosquito breeding sites by removing stagnant water from homes, workplaces and construction sites, warning that sustained community participation remains essential to slowing transmission.
Sri Lanka is experiencing one of its worst dengue outbreaks in recent years, with health experts attributing the surge to persistent rainfall, favourable mosquito breeding conditions and the re-emergence of Dengue Virus Serotype 2 (DENV-2), which has become the dominant circulating strain in the country.
-ENCL
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