Dr. Ajith Mendis, Director General of Health Services yesterday said that the first case of swine influenza had been detected in Sri Lanka. He identified the victim as an 8 year-old-boy from Australia, who had arrived in Colombo on June 14.
He said that the child had been admitted to the National Hospital for urgent medical attention.
Discussions held on the incidence of dengue at the Health Ministry revealed that the virus had mutated putting paid to all efforts to rid the country of the disease.
Deputy Director General (Public Health) Dr. Palitha Mahipala said the Health Ministry had been hitherto tackling the
Over sixty eight deaths and 4,600 dengue cases were reported during the first five months. This was three hundred percent more than the number of dengue cases recorded within the same period last year.
A special programme to control dengue will be carried out islandwide this month as during the month as the Health Ministry hopes to control the possibility of another outbreak with the onset of South West monsoon in May and June.
