Colombo Sri Lanka: Dengue fever cases rise

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.dailynews.lk/2008/04/21/news03.asp

Dengue cases rise

COLOMBO: One hundred and forty five dengue cases have been reported from Colombo this year, the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Colombo, Dr. Pradeep Kariyawasam said.

"Patients are reported from densely populated areas and especially in and around new construction sites where water finds its way into pits, lift shafts, holes or crevices on uncovered floors. One large construction site in Havelock Town has reported more than 15 dengue patients with one death, a foreigner. Most other major construction sites in Narahenpita, Bambalapitiya and Wellawatte had earlier reported dengue cases among workers or newly arrived residents," he said.

The lack of care by owners and site managers to improve sanitary conditions including disposal of garbage, drainage of storm water, and inspection of the site for mosquito breeding during the construction period has contributed to the creation of pockets of dengue cases in and around these sites.

These small outbreaks may possibly contribute to an epidemic unless stringent action is taken against offenders, he said.

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Dengue breeders beware

The Colombo Municipal Council Public Health Department will send Public Health Inspectors to dengue breeding sites to inspect and take legal action against owners of these sites.

If the sites are found to be breeding mosquitoes, the City Planning Division will be requested to terminate the Building Permit.

Residents around new construction sites can inform the Complaints Centre on 2676161 or the Chief Public Health Inspector on 2696594 of dengue breeding places.

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Colombo Sri Lanka: Dengue fever cases rise

Source: http://www.dailynews.lk/2008/05/30/news18.asp

Dengue hits Colombo city
Shirley Wijesinghe
Friday, 30 May 2008

There is a 95 per cent increase in the number of dengue cases in the Colombo city alone, the Public Health Department of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) revealed. Eighteen patients have already been admitted to the Colombo National Hospital during this month.

"This is an alarming situation and there is a possibility of a rise in the number of dengue patients in the coming months unless proper action is taken to control mosquito breeding," Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Pradeep Kariyawasam said.

An awareness programme to control dengue and chikungunya organised by the CMC by cleaning up gardens and potential breeding grounds will be launched today on residents' request. Legal action will be taken against those who fail to comply warnings, Dr. Kariyawasam stressed.

The CMC Public Health Department identified at least 114 residences within the area where there is water retention spots which are likely to breed mosquitoes during their last inspection.

Accordingly, householders were given one week's notice to take action to prevent mosquito breeding places within their premises or face legal action. The notices were issued after house to house inspection by the CMC to check whether regulations pertaining to the Mosquito-borne diseases have been complied with.

The Public Health Department confirmed that cases were reported from Kirulapone, Wellawatte, Havelock Town, Kollupitiya and Cinnamon Gardens.

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Chikungunya, viral fever outbreak in Ratnapura

Minister meets health officials:

Health Minister Nimal Sripala de Silva will hold a special conference with health officials and heads of other institutes in the Ratnapura district on the emergency disaster situation declared in the Ratnapura district in view of the outbreak of Chikungunya and viral fever. Recent torrential rains which resulted in floods and the gem pits and other swampy lands have been instrumental in the large-scale breeding of mosquitoes.

The reason for the rapid spread of the epidemic has been traced to the lack of interest on the part of the people to control the vectors of the decease.

A special conference on measures to be taken to root out the epidemic from the district will be held on June 1, at the Provincial Council auditorium.

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Colombo Sri Lanka: Dengue fever cases rise

Source: http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=16298

CMC launches campaign to eradicate dengue in the city


By Yohan Perera

The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) yesterday launched a campaign to eradicate dengue which has reached dangerous proportions in the City.

The campaign is mainly aimed at creating awareness about the disease and prosecuting action on those who have failed to comply with the CMC?s request to keep their premises clean.

CMC Chief Medical Officer Dr. Pradeep Kariyawasam said there is a 95% increase of dengue patients in Colombo presently while the number of patients admitted to hospital has reached 18 by this month. He said three deaths have been reported from the Colombo City this year up to now while there had been only three deaths for the whole of last year. It has been school children who have been mostly infected with the disease in the city according to him. ?Rains expected when the South West Monsoon becomes active may aggravate the situation,? he said.

However he was confident that the awareness campaign launched by the CMC would avert a major epidemic repeating the success in the past years. He said one third of the Colombo population was affected by dengue in 2006 and the incidence has been reduced to 5% last year thanks to the awareness programme.

He claimed that many countries have begun to adopt the CMC?s Dengue eradication programme as a role model. Dr. Kariyawasam called on the public health inspectors to do their job in an effective manner adding that missing of one polluted spot would result in at least 15 cases.

Over 100 groups comprising two public health inspectors each were deployed in the City Colombo yesterday to create awareness among the public and to take legal action against the owners of those premises with mosquito breeding grounds.