Colombo - An outbreak of dengue virus has
killed around 300 people so far this year in Sri Lanka and
hospitals are stretched to capacity, health officials said on
Monday.
They blamed recent monsoon rains and floods that have left
pools of stagnant water and rotting rain-soaked trash -- ideal
breeding sites for mosquitoes that carry the virus.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies is scaling up emergency assistance to Sri Lanka with
the Sri Lanka Red Cross to help contain the outbreak.
"Dengue patients are streaming into overcrowded hospitals
that are stretched beyond capacity and struggling to cope,
particularly in the country’s hardest hit western province," Red
Cross/Red Crescent said in a statement.
According to the World Health Organization, dengue is one of
the world's fastest growing diseases, endemic in 100 countries,
with as many as 390 million infections annually. Early detection
and treatment save lives when infections are severe,
particularly for young children.
The Sri Lankan government is struggling to control the
virus, which causes flu-like symptoms and can develop into the
deadly hemorrhagic dengue fever.
The ministry of health said the number of dengue infections
has climbed above 100,000 since the start of 2017, with 296
deaths.
"Ongoing downpours and worsening sanitation conditions raise
concerns the disease will continue to spread," Red Cross/Red
Crescent said.
Its assistance comes a week after Australia announced
programmes to help control dengue fever in Sri
Lanka.
"Dengue is endemic here, but one reason for the dramatic
rise in cases is that the virus currently spreading has evolved
and people lack the immunity to fight off the new strain," Novil
Wijesekara, head of health at the Sri Lanka Red Cross said in a
statement.