Sri Lanka troops to battle deadly dengue mosquitoes as cases rise
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Colombo: Sri Lanka is deploying military forces to combat a surging dengue fever outbreak as hospitals struggle to manage more than 1,000 admissions daily.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s office announced that army, navy, and air force personnel will join a special unit tasked with identifying and destroying mosquito breeding sites.
Authorities will launch a nationwide cleanup campaign on Wednesday and plan to strictly enforce laws against those who allow mosquitoes to breed on their premises.
So far this year, nearly 50,000 cases and 29 deaths have been reported. Officials attribute the rapid spread to climate change, monsoon rains, and waste management issues that create stagnant water.
The head of the government’s dengue unit, Kapila Kannangara, warned that hospitals are currently under intense pressure. Health authorities are working to prevent a repeat of the 2017 epidemic, which resulted in 186,000 patients and 440 deaths.
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