CHATURANGA PRADEEP SAMARAWICKRAMA 
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Hitch-hiking dengue mosquitoes
Dengue mosquitoes have spread to other parts of the country from Colombo by the mosquitoes hitching rides on vehicles that come to Colombo city and are left parked for some time, a health ministry study has revealed.
“Dengue mosquitoes get the opportunity to enter buses, trains and motor vehicles when they remain parked in the city for several hours and travel to many parts of the country with the vehicles on their return journey,” a health ministry spokesman said.
Therefore, the health ministry requests vehicle owners to keep the windows of the vehicles shut when they are parked and open the windows just before they leave so as to get rid of the mosquitoes from the vehicles, the spokesman added.
He said Colombo was one of the most mosquito affected areas and 56 per cent of the total number of dengue patients and dengue-related deaths are from Colombo. Owners of some 400,000 motor vehicles entering the City daily must be aware of the prevalence of dengue in Colombo.
Meanwhile the Government Epidemiology Unit (GEU) said 5,802 suspected dengue cases and 24 deaths have been reported countrywide during the first two months this year.
Nearly 52.06 per cent of the dengue cases were reported from the Western Province. The highest number of dengue cases were reported during the month of January. This situation warrants regular destruction of possible mosquito breeding sites from the environment. It is also important to seek medical attention in the event for three days, the GEU advises. (Sandun A. Jayasekera)
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