Sri Lanka Reports 44,000 Dengue Cases and 28 Deaths Since January, Below 2019 Peak

Sri Lanka has recorded more than 44,000 dengue fever cases and 28 deaths since January 2026, according to the National Dengue Control Unit. The 28 deaths include five children. More than half of the cases are concentrated in the western region, with Colombo district alone reporting 9,429 infections.

The number of cases nearly doubled from 5,651 in April to 10,638 in the first two weeks of June. Eight additional districts have each reported more than 2,000 cases since the start of the year.

Dr. Prashila Samaraweera, consultant community physician and NDCU spokesperson, linked the rise to Cyclone Ditwah, which struck the island in late November 2025. “We noticed this increase after the cyclone,” she told Reuters.

Infections are likely to increase for at least two more weeks before tapering off, Dr. Samaraweera said. Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa warned on June 18 that a further uptick could place public hospitals under severe strain.

Health authorities and other public officials have launched a special cleanup program covering schools, homes, construction sites, and public buildings that continues until Monday, June 22. The program includes fumigation and inspection teams operating in Colombo and other affected areas.

Patient numbers this year could approach the 105,000 cases recorded during the 2019 outbreak, authorities have noted.