June 28, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka has recorded 31 dengue-related deaths so far this year, as health authorities continue to grapple with a sharp rise in infections across the country.
According to the National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU), more than 52,000 dengue cases have been reported islandwide to date, highlighting a worrying upward trend. June alone accounted for over 17,000 infections, making it one of the most severe months of the year for dengue transmission.
The Western, Southern, Sabaragamuwa, Central and Eastern provinces have reported the highest number of cases, while 124 Medical Officer of Health (MOH) divisions have been classified as high-risk areas requiring intensified surveillance and control measures.
Health officials have urged the public to remain vigilant by eliminating stagnant water around homes and workplaces, noting that community participation remains one of the most effective ways to curb the spread of the disease.
Meanwhile, the Health Entomology Officers’ Association has cautioned against viewing mosquito fogging as a long-term solution to the dengue outbreak.
Addressing a media briefing in Colombo on Saturday, Association President Najith Sumanasena explained that although fogging is sometimes carried out by MOH offices in response to localised spikes in dengue cases, it is designed only to reduce the adult mosquito population and should not be relied upon as the primary method of vector control.
He noted that mosquitoes progress through four stages of development—egg, larva, pupa and adult—and that fogging affects only the final stage, leaving breeding sites untouched. As a result, mosquito populations can quickly recover if standing water is not removed.
Sumanasena also pointed to the financial and environmental costs associated with the practice. A single fogging operation can cost more than Rs. 20,000, while the insecticides used may also kill beneficial insects, including bees and dragonflies, which are essential for pollination and maintaining ecological balance.
He stressed that fogging is carried out only when scientific assessments indicate it is necessary and warned that unnecessary or repeated spraying could reduce its effectiveness over time by encouraging insecticide resistance.
Drawing on past experience, he noted that Sri Lanka had previously been compelled to replace several insecticides used in malaria control—including DDT, Malathion, Solfac and Icon—after mosquitoes developed resistance to them.
In addition to concerns over resistance, Sumanasena said excessive exposure to insecticides could pose health risks for some individuals, particularly those with underlying medical conditions. He emphasised that sustainable dengue prevention depends on eliminating mosquito breeding grounds, improving public awareness and adopting integrated vector control measures rather than relying solely on fogging.
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