Dengue claims 63 in first three months, 16 in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 28 March 2010, 18:15 GMT]
More than eleven thousand people had been inflicted with dengue fever between 1st January and 25th March this year, and more than 63 have been reported dead. The Jaffna district reordered sixteen deaths, highest in Sri Lanka, and second is Colombo with thirteen deaths. The rest of the death occurred in Gampaha, Kandy, Matara and Negombo, according to the Dengue Task Force meeting held at Health Ministry Friday.

Last year the country faced the largest dengue epidemic with over 33,000 reported cases and over 350 deaths.

The Dengue Task Force was formed last year and is functioning from January this year to assign responsibility and control the spread of the disease. The Task Force includes members from the ministries of environment and education, provincial councils and local government, public administration and defence.