11,000 REPORTED DENGUE CASES AND 34 DEATHS SO FAR THIS YEAR

Around 11,000 people have been diagnosed with dengue while 34 deaths due to the disease have been reported within the first four months of this year alone.

The Health Ministry stated that it will take immediate steps to control the spread of dengue in the coming months.

A special dengue prevention campaign will be launched in collaboration with the police, state institutions and schools, the Health Ministry revealed while adding that special circulars distributed to various institutions will be activated again.

The Health Ministry reported that the highest numbers of dengue cases were reported from 50 different Medical Officer Divisions in 10 Districts.

The Public Health Inspectors of the 50 divisions will be brought to Colombo today (May 7) and advised on dengue prevention.

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GL SLAMS ‘COLONIAL’ RIGHTS GROUPS

Sri Lanka’s foreign minister Gamini Lakshman Peiris rejected “colonial” criticism Tuesday of a government-appointed civil war probe, after foreign rights groups snubbed an invitation to attend. New York-based Human Rights Watch, London-based Amnesty International and Brussels-based International Crisis Group last week accused the panel of a cover-up and refused an offer from Colombo to appear before it. Peiris said in a speech to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a leading think-tank based in London, that the rights groups had displayed a “most unattractive attitude.” “It smacks of an attitude that is almost colonial, patronising and condescending, the assumption being that other people must step in because Sri Lankans are unable to chart a course for their own future,” he said. Peiris, who is in London for talks with the British government, said the LLRC was based on similar reconciliation commissions in countries such as South Africa. He urged rights groups and

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