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Sri Lanka: Viral fever fast spreading in Ratnapura

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  • Sri Lanka: Viral fever fast spreading in Ratnapura

    Source: http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Se...px?ARTID=12680

    Viral fever fast spreading in Ratnapura

    By Ajithlal Udayashantha-

    More than 12,000 people in the Ratnapura district have been affected by a virus fever that reached epidemic proportions.

    Deputy Provincial Director Health Services, Dr. Athula Dangalla told at a meeting yesterday that a patient who was down with the viral fever and under treatment at Eheliyagoda died the previous day.

    He said the blood samples of the patient were referred to the Medical Research Institute for further tests to establish the cause of death. Body pain, vomiting, fever and minor stomach disorders are the symptoms of the disease. Dr. Dangalla said the victims of the disease suffer many after effects including physical weaknesses creating problems for the manual workers and farmers.

    He pointed out that the majority of patients were from Eheliyagoda, Kiriporuwa, Kiriella and Godakawela areas and that an average of 300 patients a day obtain treatment from the Eheliyagoda district hospital.

    He said that the medical specialists from Kelaniya University, Ragama Medical Faculty and the Borella MRI are conducting research to identify the disease. However, he stressed the need to clear the breeding ground of mosquitoes to prevent the spread of the viral fever.

    Dr. Dangalla pointed out that the abandoned gem mining pits, the main breeding grounds of mosquitoes create health hazards in the Ratnapura district.

    The viral fever reported for the first time from Erathna in Kuruvita area spread to several villages in Eheliyagoda , Deraniyagala and Godakawela areas.

    Blood samples of 76 patients from Kiriella and Eheliyagoda areas were referred to the MRI for tests. Officials attending the conference pointed out that high rate of patients in Kiriella, Ellawala, Mudunkotua, Parakaduwa and Watapitiya areas were mainly due to the negligence of garbage disposal by the local authorities.

    Dr. Dangalla said the dengue fever spread in the Ratnapura district in the early 1950s and Chikungunya in 1965. He said 16250 mosquitoes nets will be issued to the hospital in the affected areas.
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