According to local media, Sri Lanka reported approximately 50,000 dengue illnesses in the first eight months of 2022.

The National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU) stated that 49,941 patients were admitted to hospitals during the previous eight months for dengue treatment. Half of the cases were recorded from the Western province, including the Colombo, Gampaha, and Kalutara districts.

Ruwan Wijemuni, Chief Medical Officer for Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), revealed that 12,754 instances were recorded from Colombo, 7,496 from Gampaha, and 4,731 from Kalutara.

He claimed that because the CMC lacks funding to purchase the chemicals and insecticides needed to reduce the dengue mosquito population, they are dealing with numerous difficulties in their annual mosquito control programs. Additionally, the fuel shortage posed a challenge to efforts to eradicate mosquitoes. (ETHealthWorld, August 22, 2022)