The worst-ever outbreak of dengue fever in Sri Lanka has killed nearly 300 people with the number of cases rising rapidly.
Sri Lanka's Ministry of Health reports that the number of dengue infections has climbed above 103,000 since the start of 2017, with 296 deaths. The number of cases this year is already nearly double the number of dengue infections recorded in all of 2016, when 55,150 people were diagnosed with the disease.
The Sri Lanka Red Cross Society and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) are rapidly scaling up emergency assistance to help contain the outbreak in the South Asian island nation.
“Dengue is endemic here, but one reason for the dramatic rise in cases is that the virus currently spreading has evolved and people lack the immunity to fight off the new strain,” says Dr. Novil Wijesekara, Head of Health at the Sri Lanka Red Cross.
Compounding the crisis, recent monsoon rains and floods have left pools of stagnant water and rotting rain-soaked trash—ideal breeding sites for mosquitoes. Ongoing downpours and worsening sanitation conditions raise concerns the disease will continue to spread.
Dengue is common in South Asia, especially during the monsoon season which runs from June to September, and if untreated, it can be lethal.
The International Federation of Red Cross said it had released new disaster emergency funds on Monday to help about 307,000 people in three districts where dengue was rampant.
斯里兰卡有史以来最严重的登革热疫情，已造成近300人丧生，感染人数还在迅速上升。
斯里兰卡卫生部报告说，自2017年年初以来，登革热感染人数已经超出10万3000千人，296人死亡。2016年斯里兰卡被诊断感染登革热的患者人数是5万5千150人，今年的患者人数已经几乎翻了一番。
斯里兰卡红十字会、国际红十字会和红新月会迅速增加紧急援助，协助斯里兰卡控制疫情的继续扩散。
斯里兰卡红十字会的一位负责人说：“登革热是这里的地方病，但是感染病例迅速上升的原因之一是，眼下扩散的病毒已经变异，人们缺少抵抗变异病毒的免疫力。”
最近季风季节带来的雨水和洪水造成的地面积水和被雨水浸泡的腐烂垃圾是蚊子绝佳的繁殖环境，这种情况使登革热危机雪上加霜。持续降雨和不断恶化的卫生条件让人们担心，疫情还会进一步扩散。
登革热在南亚很常见，特别是在6月到9月间的季风季节，如果得不到治疗，可能有生命危险。
国际红十字会说，他们星期一已经发放了新的灾情应急资金，帮助登革热疫情最严重的三个区的30万7千人。