These days, Dengue, Influenza, Hand, foot and mouth disease and Meningitis are everywhere.

Health authorities emphasize that four infectious and viral diseases are rapidly spreading among children across the island, and parents should exercise extreme caution and vigilance in this situation. Due to the prevailing rainy weather conditions, dengue fever is spreading very rapidly across the country, and health authorities point out that there is a serious risk of it developing into an epidemic in the future.

Due to the prevailing situation, dengue patients are reported daily from many areas across the island, and health data reveals that wards in many hospitals across the country are filled with dengue patients.

According to reports from the National Dengue Control Unit, over 41,466 dengue patients have been identified in the country during the elapsed period of this year, with 24 deaths reported. It is reported that four school children are among the deceased. Health experts state that reporting such a high number of patients within a short period of a few months this year, against the backdrop of 51,479 total dengue patients and 26 deaths reported in the past year 2025, is a serious situation. Currently, 89 Medical Officer of Health (MOH) areas belonging to the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, and Southern provinces have been designated as high-risk zones. At the district level, the highest number of patients is reported from Colombo, which is 8,686. Additionally, 7,263 from Gampaha, 2,986 from Matara, 2,874 from Ratnapura, 2,718 from Kalutara, 2,519 from Galle, and 2,022 patients from Kandy have been identified.

To control this escalating risky situation, the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils, and Local Government has taken steps to implement a six-day special national dengue control program covering state, private, schools, and homes. The subject minister, Professor Chandana Abeyratne, stated that this cleaning operation will be carried out from today (15th) until the 20th of this month, covering all 341 local government institutions across the island. Accordingly, from today (15th) until the 17th, public places including clogged drainage systems in cities, commercial complexes, religious sites, and bus stops are scheduled to be cleaned. Furthermore, on the 18th of this month, the premises of all educational institutions, including schools, preschools, and private tuition classes, will be cleaned, and on Friday the 19th, the premises of all state and private institutions and factories will be cleaned. Arrangements have been made to clean private homes and their surrounding premises on Saturday the 20th.

Meanwhile, explaining the disease conditions spreading among children, Dr. Deepal Perera, a consultant pediatrician at Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children in Colombo, states that four diseases – Dengue, Influenza, Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease, and Meningitis – are rapidly spreading among children these days. As dengue, a deadly disease, presents symptoms such as fever, headache, pain under the eyes, body aches, joint pain, vomiting, and diarrhea, if a child has a fever for more than two days, immediate attention should be paid. Also, when influenza is contracted, it can cause fever with cough, cold, body aches, and joint pain, so if such symptoms are present, children should be referred for medical treatment and rested at home. Parents are urged to take steps to ensure children wear face masks when sending them to schools, preschools, or daycare centers to control the spread of the disease to others.

Additionally, the spreading 'Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease' is transmitted by the Coxsackie virus, where red spots or sometimes white, fluid-filled blisters may appear on the child's feet, elbows, and around the mouth. Since this disease spreads through contact between an infected child and another child, parents should keep children with such symptoms at home for 3-4 days and provide necessary medical treatment. Furthermore, due to a viral impact, the symptoms of meningitis currently spreading among children include fever with headache, vomiting, difficulty looking at electric lights or any bright light, aversion to even hearing sounds, and body aches. Dr. Deepal Perera further points out that it is the responsibility of all parties to provide children with clean food and boiled, cooled water, and to ensure they wear face masks if they have a cough or cold, to minimize the spread of this meningitis disease, which is transmitted through the digestive and respiratory tracts.