Health experts in Sri Lanka warned on Wednesday of a rapid rise in dengue fever cases in the wake of monsoon rains, which have caused flooding in several districts.
Sri Lanka’s Health Ministry reported that 16,042 people have contracted the mosquito-borne viral disease this year, but ongoing monsoon rains and flooding — which provide perfect breeding sites for mosquitoes — have led to a surge in cases since the beginning of November.
Dr. Shilanthi Seneviratne, a community physician at the National Dengue Control Unit, told Arab News that 2,195 new dengue cases were reported across Sri Lanka in the past two weeks, nearly double the rate during last year’s monsoon period.