Sri Lanka troops to battle deadly dengue mosquitoes as cases rise

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Sri Lanka is deploying the military to contain the spread of mosquito-borne dengue fever, as health authorities warned Tuesday that hospitals are being overwhelmed with more than 1,000 admissions a day.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's office said army, navy and air force officers would join a special unit to identify and destroy mosquito breeding sites.

Dengue causes high fevers, headaches, nausea, vomiting, muscle pain and, in the most serious cases, bleeding that can lead to death.

Nearly 50,000 cases have been reported this year, with 29 deaths, although that is still far below the 2017 peak, when 186,000 patients and 440 deaths were reported.

The Aedes mosquito that spreads dengue—identifiable by its black-and-white striped legs—breeds in stagnant pools.

"Laws will also be strictly enforced against those allowing mosquito breeding on their premises, in addition to setting up the special military unit," the statement said.

A nationwide campaign to clean up breeding sites will be launched Wednesday.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that dengue and other mosquito-borne viruses are spreading faster and farther because of climate change.

Sri Lanka has seen a surge in dengue cases since the start of June, with more than 1,000 reported in a single day this week, according to official data.

The government's dengue unit said it feared state and private hospitals might not be able to handle a further increase.

"Hospitals are already under pressure," the head of the unit, Kapila Kannangara, told reporters in Colombo. "We don't want to have a situation like the one we faced in 2017."

Monsoon rains, stagnant water from recent flooding and haphazardly dumped waste have created ideal conditions for the rapid spread of mosquitoes.

Key medical concepts

DengueAedesArbovirus Infections

Clinical categories

Infectious diseasesCommon illnesses & PreventionPreventive medicine Who's behind this story?

Andrew Zinin

Master's in physics with research experience. Long-time science news enthusiast. Plays key role in Science X's editorial success. Full profile →

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Citation: Sri Lanka troops to battle deadly dengue mosquitoes as cases rise (2026, June 23) retrieved 23 June 2026 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-sri-lanka-troops-deadly-dengue.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.