COLOMBO, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's Health Ministry has warned of a possible dengue outbreak as the number of deaths from the disease has reached 56 and the number of those affected has risen to over 36,000 so far this year, local media reports said here Tuesday.
The government epidemiology unit said the worst affected districts were capital Colombo, Gampaha in the outskirts of Colombo, Galle, Matara and Hambantota in the south and Ratnapura, in the south central district.
Director General of Health Services, from the Health Ministry, Dr. Anil Jasinghe said with the establishment of the southwest monsoon, there could be an increase in the number of cases reported from several other districts as well.
Medical experts have urged people to seek immediate medical attention if they suffered from high fever, uncontrolled vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness and reduced urinary.
"All fever patients need rest and should refrain from attending work or school," said epidemiologists. "Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) can be fatal."
Medical experts have further urged pregnant women to seek hospital admission immediately on the first day of fever.
Last year, over 50 people died and over 48,000 were affected by the mosquito-borne virus in Sri Lanka, with the National Dengue Control Unit launching several programs to eradicate mosquito's breeding grounds in several districts of the island country.
