Sri Lanka seeks approval to procure dengue vaccine

Sri Lanka has submitted an application seeking approval to procure a dengue vaccine, Deputy Health Minister Hansaka Wijemuni said.

Wijemuni said the vaccine could provide some protection when administered before a person contracts dengue. However, he noted that the vaccine was relatively new and that its long-term effectiveness remained difficult to predict.

Several countries have already taken steps to acquire the vaccine, he said.

The National Dengue Control Unit reported that Sri Lanka had recorded about 82,000 dengue cases and 61 deaths so far this year.

Women accounted for 47 of the deaths and 45 per cent of all reported cases, the unit said.

Nearly 27,000 cases were reported this month, the highest monthly total recorded so far this year.

Doctors have advised people with a fever lasting more than two days to seek treatment from a qualified medical practitioner, as dengue should be suspected. They also warned that relying on home remedies could endanger patients’ lives.