Peace for the World

Peace for the World
First democratic leader of Justice the Godfather of the Sri Lankan Tamil Struggle: Honourable Samuel James Veluppillai Chelvanayakam

Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Sri Lanka: Dengue Kills 200; 63,987 patients detected in 2017

Dengue kills 200 while attempt made to bring Australian bacteria when Cuban bacteria has already shown success

( June 20, 2017, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) According to sources in the Ministry of Health there is an attempt to get down a bacteria from Australia despite a B.T.I. bacteria from Cuba has been already tested and has been confirmed that it is suitable to eradicate dengue.
According to these sources bringing in bacteria from Australia at a time when a dengue epidemic exists in the country would be a disaster as it would take at least two years to test for its effectiveness and get it down and by that time there would be thousands of new dengue patients in the country.
They point out that the bacteria to be imported from Australia would only reduce the toxin and what is needed at this hour is to completely destroy dengue mosquitoes. They say the Cuban bacteria is the more suitable bacteria as it destroys the dengue mosquitoes.
The Australian bacteria was first found by Monash University in Australia recently but the Cuban bacteria was discovered in 1990 in Cuba and has been successfully used in China, Brazil, Vietnam, Argentina, Belgium and Columbia.
When Dengue Control Unit (NDCU) National Coordinator Dr. Hasitha Tissera was asked why getting down bacteria from Cuba has been delayed he said there was a plan to produce B.T.I. bacteria locally from next month.
In the meantime dengue virus has claimed over 200 lives, with 63,987 patients detected, during the first half of the year. It is reported that government hospitals are full of dengue patients. According to sources more than 450 dengue patients are being treated at Jayawardenepura Hospital. Last week IDH had to stop admitting patients due to overcrowding. Patients coming to IDH are sent to Colombo National Hospital, Kalubowila Hospital, Colombo North (Ragama) Hospital and hospitals at Piliyandala, Wathara and Thalangama.