Dengue fever called a national disaster in Sri Lanka

With 200 deaths and almost 64,000 infected people reported in the past 6 months, authorities consider the current epidemic of dengue to be a national disaster. More cases are expected.

Advice

The risk of exposure will vary from place to place and may be high in many localities.

All travellers to areas where the dengue fever virus is active can reduce their risk of exposure by taking all necessary precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Many persons with dengue fever do not seek medical care and are not reported to health authorities. There may be many more cases in the community than the reports indicate.