COLOMBO, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- The spread of dengue has been contained in Western and Central Provinces of Sri Lanka, and attention should be directed toward districts such as Jaffna, Trincomalee and Batticaloa in Northern and Eastern provinces, the President's Media Division (PMD) said in a statement on Wednesday.
The PMD said President Ranil Wickremesinghe chaired a progress review meeting to assess effectiveness of dengue control programs in Western and Central provinces.
Under the guidance of the President's Office, and in adherence to existing health guidelines, collaborative efforts involving armed forces and police have successfully curtailed the spread of dengue in these regions, said the PMD.
The discussion revealed that the implementation of various dengue control and awareness programs has effectively brought the situation under control, said the PMD.
According to the PMD, specific areas with a high incidence of dengue around government institutions, schools, religious sites, public spaces and private institutions were identified for targeted interventions.
Last year, 88,398 dengue cases were reported in the South Asian country with 57 deaths, according to the National Dengue Control Unit. ■
