Sri Lanka declares 71 high risk dengue zones

Colombo, June 3
Sri Lanka's National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU) has said that 71 divisions in 15 districts, including the capital Colombo, had been identified as high-risk zones for dengue fever.

The NDCU said on Sunday in a statement that it carried out a survey between May 26 and June 1 and observed a surge in mosquito breeding places, Xinhua news agency reported.

The agency added that though dengue cases reported from January to April remained relatively low, a surge of cases could be expected from May onwards with the onset of southwest monsoon according to experience from previous years.

According to the NDCU, nearly 25,000 cases have been reported so far this year with nine deaths.