Sri Lanka has recorded 68,672 dengue cases and 47 deaths so far this year, according to the National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU).

Data released by the NDCU as of 6 a.m. yesterday shows that the Western Province is the worst affected, accounting for 36,118 cases, or 52.6 per cent of the national total. Gampaha District has reported the highest number of infections with 14,112 cases, followed by Colombo with 13,471.

The Southern Province has recorded 10,765 cases, while Sabaragamuwa and the Central Province have reported 5,807 and 5,681 cases, respectively.

The number of infections has surged in recent weeks, with 21,538 cases reported in June and a further 13,293 already recorded in July. Earlier monthly totals stood at 8,590 in May, 5,651 in April and 6,013 in March.

The case fatality rate currently stands at 0.07 per cent. Health authorities have identified 175 high-risk Medical Officer of Health (MOH) areas during Epidemiological Week 27, with an average of 2,677 new cases reported each week.

Outside the Western Province, Matara (4,885), Kalutara (4,600), Kandy (4,061) and Ratnapura (3,964) are among the districts reporting the highest number of infections. Mannar (74), Kilinochchi (47) and Mullaitivu (43) have recorded the lowest case numbers.

Health authorities have urged the public to step up mosquito-control measures and eliminate breeding sites, warning that the outbreak continues to spread.—

Deputy Defence Minister retired Maj. Gen. Aruna Jayasekara, has told Parliament that land within the High Security Zones of the North-East, considered essential for “national security,” would not be returned to its original owners.

The Deputy Minister said that 1,661 acres would be permanently acquired for military infrastructure.

The Deputy Minister was responding to questions raised by MP Dr Archchuna Ramanathan in Parliament last week. Jayasekara said the Palaly area had been designated a critical High Security Zone (HSZ) and that legal procedures were under way to acquire the 1,661 acres permanently, with the Ministry of Lands, to compensate the private landowners as part of the process.

The Deputy Minister told Parliament that the Civil Aviation Authority, through the Sri Lanka Air Force, had advised that more land was needed for the expansion of the Palaly Airport and that the Ministry of Defence had instructed the Ministry of Lands, the Survey Department, the tri-forces and the relevant divisional secretariats to coordinate the acquisitions under a single national policy. Among the works planned within the zone is the renovation of the Palaly Military Hospital, at a cost of around Rs 99.3 million, of which Rs 55 million has already been spent.

Jayasekara declared that 64,663 acres of military-held land had been returned to civilians in the Northern and Eastern provinces, between 2009 and 2024. According to him, 692 acres had been released since the current government took office, and that a further 243 acres were due to be released within two months. Where strategic land could not be returned, he said, the state would offer either alternative plots or financial compensation, and lands not deemed necessary for national security would continue to be released in phases.

The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court yesterday postponed until Sept. 21 the hearing of a case against six accused, including former Minister Wimal Weerawansa, over allegations that they caused a public disturbance by staging a protest that blocked the road outside the United Nations office in Colombo in 2016.

The case was taken up before Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama.

Weerawansa was absent when the matter was called. His counsel informed the court that the former minister was unwell and said a medical report would be submitted.

After considering the submissions, the Chief Magistrate fixed Sept. 21 for the next hearing.

The case was filed by the Cinnamon Gardens Police over a protest held on Feb. 6, 2016, which allegedly obstructed Thummulla Junction and surrounding roads outside the UN office during the visit of then UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Prince Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein to Sri Lanka.

The other accused are Jayantha Samaraweera, Weerakumara Dissanayake, Piyasiri Wijenayake, Roger Seneviratne and Mohamed Muzammil.