Risk of increasing number of dengue patients in Sri Lanka

A new report has revealed that there are four types of dengue virus circulating in Sri Lanka and the 2nd and 3rd virus groups are spreading in many areas.

A joint investigation by the National Dengue Control Unit, the Medical Research Institute and the Dengue Research Institute at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura has confirmed that type 1 virus is circulating in the country again.

The number of dengue patients is likely to increase due to the change in the circulating virus groups, while 16,497 dengue patients have been reported from Sri Lanka so far this year, said Himali Herath, a community medicine specialist at the National Dengue Control Unit.