On a decision taken by the Cabinet of Ministers Sri Lanka has declared the third week of August as National Dengue Prevention Week,as dengue cases spike during the months-long monsoon season.

Accordingly the health authorities have declared the week from August 16 – 22 to focus on the preventive measures island wide. There have been 21,486 cases, and 158 deaths up to July 20. The Ministry of Health's epidemiology unit expects the numbers to rise in the coming weeks due to continuing rains Surveys in the provinces found that "more than 50 percent of households had turned into perfect breeding grounds for mosquitoes due to the lack of cleanliness," local media quoted Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena as saying.

The number of cases this year is on  par with the 22,256 cases up till the end of July 2009, The government has reported 2,669 cases in July so far, compared to 3,310 in June and 1,910 in May.