Sri Lanka Reports 76,000 Dengue Cases and 53 Deaths Since January, Worst Outbreak in Nearly a Decade

Sri Lanka is battling its worst dengue outbreak in nearly a decade, with 53 deaths and 76,044 infections recorded since January 2026. The figures approach the more than 100,000 cases seen in a 2017 outbreak and include a more virulent strain that has spread the disease wider. Health authorities reported more than 18,000 cases in the first two weeks of July alone.

The armed forces have joined the response. Air force drones track stagnant water on rooftops after monsoon rains, while military and police officers inspect homes, building sites and schools to remove mosquito-breeding sites. Troops are also assisting overstretched hospital staff with patient tracking.

Hospitals have added beds, converted wards and increased hours for doctors and nurses. Consultant Lalindra Dias at the District General Hospital in Negombo said the rapid rise in patients is challenging for doctors. “It’s challenging for the doctors because it’s a rapid increase in patients,” Dias stated.

Negombo lies about 35 km north of Colombo and ranks among the hardest-hit areas. The hospital there treated nearly 1,800 dengue patients in less than two months since June, compared with about 1,050 patients for all of 2025, according to @SCMPNews reported.