A total of 17,264 dengue cases and 14 confirmed dengue deaths had been reported up to May 4, the Epidemiology Unit said.
According to epidemiologists, the highest number of dengue cases, 2,665 had been reported from the Colombo district, while the second highest number, 2,208 had been reported from the Batticaloa district. The third highest number of dengue cases, 1,510 had been reported from the Gampaha district.
The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) reported a total of 727 dengue cases during the same period. The other parts of the Colombo district recorded a total of 1,938 dengue cases. The total number of dengue cases reported from the Western Province is 5,344, epidemiologists said.
Medical experts and consultants advice the public to seek medical treatment without delay for any type of fever without applying home remedies. All fever patients need rest and they should not attend work or school.
All fever patients should take Paracetamol only. All other medications, especially Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as Ibuprofen cause Dengue hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) which can become fatal, they said.