People advised not to take anti-inflammatory painkillers for dengue

• Sri Lanka has so far reported 31,450 dengue cases for 2023 with the  highest number of cases being recorded from the Western Province  
• People are urged to take only paracetamol to help bring down temperature and ease any pain

By Sheain Fernandopulle  

With Dengue cases soaring due to heavy rainfall, health authorities advise people not to take anti-inflammatory painkillers like ibuprofen or aspirin for dengue fever as they can cause bleeding problems if you have dengue.  

Consultant Community Physician Dr. Nimalka Pannila Hetti of the National Dengue Control Unit, urged people to only take paracetamol to help bring down temperature and ease any pain.  

However, she requested people to undergo the Full Blood Count if fever persists for a second consecutive day as per the instruction of a doctor.  

Speaking about the remedies to prevent dengue, Dr. Nimalka recommended measures like wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants, minimizing exposure to mosquito bites, using mosquito repellents (ideally one that contains the ingredient DEET) and nets.  

Besides, she invited people to keep the house and surroundings dry and clean and avoid leaving junk inside and outside the house which can possibly house mosquitoes and their eggs like old tires and other storage containers with water inside.  

According to the National Dengue Control Unit, Sri Lanka has so far reported 31,450 dengue cases for 2023 with the highest number of cases being recorded from the Western Province.