Sri Lanka, June 2 -- While global threats like Ebola warrant institutional vigilance, the actual, immediate threat to the life and health of everyday Sri Lankans is dengue, the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) said yesterday. Several SLMA members speaking to the media in Colombo said Sri Lanka has already surpassed 33,000 recorded dengue cases this year, resulting in 19 confirmed deaths so far.

Moratuwa University Faculty of Medicine Consultant Physician Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama said normally the peak period for dengue was July, but this year there is a sharp spike in reported cases in recent times. He said a runaway epidemic on the scale of the devastating 2017 outbreak should be avoided with personal health habits and collective soc...