With the ongoing rainy season, the number of dengue and chikungunya patients in Sri Lanka is increasing significantly, and if the fever lasts for more than two days, one should immediately seek medical treatment and get a blood test done, says Specialist Dr. Maheshaka Wijewardena.
Thousands of dengue patients have been reported so far this year, with the majority in the Colombo and Gampaha districts. In addition, Dr. Wijewardena warns that there may be an increase in chikungunya patients after a few years.
Both dengue and chikungunya are spread by Aedes mosquitoes, and he says that the disease is difficult to diagnose correctly because the symptoms are similar in the early stages, such as fever, headache, body aches, joint pain and skin rashes.
He points out that if dengue develops into ‘dengue hemorrhagic fever’, it poses a life-threatening risk, and if not treated properly, it can lead to internal bleeding, shock, and even death.
Also, the doctor advises against using painkillers (NSAIDs) other than paracetamol in the early days of fever.