Sri Lanka battles surge in dengue fever, with more than 44,000 cases so far this year

Sri Lanka is grappling with a severe outbreak of dengue fever, marking the worst in years. As of Friday, June 19, the nation has recorded more than 44,000 cases and 28 deaths since the beginning of 2026, placing significant strain on public health facilities.

Dengue infections typically rise during the monsoon season, but this year's outbreak has been particularly intense. Authorities attribute the surge to a combination of unplanned urban development and the widespread damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah in late November. Dr. Prashila Samaraweera, a consultant community physician and spokesperson for the National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU), noted a significant increase in mosquito breeding sites following the cyclone.

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We noticed this increase after the cyclone. A lot of debris was in our environment, so we noticed a lot of mosquito breeding places, and our entomological indices were high from that time.

Data from the NDCU reveals a sharp rise in cases, nearly doubling from 5,651 in April to 10,638 in the first two weeks of June. Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa has warned that further increases in patient numbers could severely tax public hospitals. The current infection rate is significantly higher than last year's total of 51,000 cases, and officials fear this year's numbers could rival the 2019 outbreak, which saw over 105,000 dengue patients.

More than half of the reported cases are concentrated in the western region, with the commercial capital Colombo accounting for 9,429 cases. Eight other districts have each reported over 2,000 patients. Among the 28 fatalities are five children. In response, health authorities have launched a special cleanup program targeting schools, homes, construction sites, and public buildings to mitigate mosquito breeding.

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A further uptick in patient numbers could put public hospitals under severe strain.