A total of 43,536 dengue cases and 50 deaths were reported from all parts of the country this year as at November 23, the Epidemiology Unit said.
The highest number of dengue cases, 8,444 had been reported from the Colombo District while the second highest number, 4704 had been reported from the Gampaha District. The third, 4496 had been reported from the Batticaloa District.
The Colombo Municipal Council reported 2115 dengue cases during the period. The other parts of the Colombo District recorded 6,329 dengue cases. The total number of dengue cases reported from the Western Province is 15,763.
Medical experts advise the public to seek medical treatment without delay for any type of fever without using home remedies. Fever patients need rest and they should not attend work or school. They should only take Paracetamol. All other medications, especially non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Ibuprofen cause Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever which can become fatal, they said.
People should keep their premises free of dengue mosquito breeding sites (water retaining places) during the rainy season in order to prevent dengue.
Water retained even in a pen clip or a soda bottle top is adequate for the dengue mosquitoe to breed, they added.