Tropical fever threatens Russian vacationers in Sri Lanka: dengue is dangerous in spring

This year, every third foreign tourist in Sri Lanka is from Russia. This inspires both the island country, which is experiencing a severe crisis, and the Russians, who have the opportunity of a budget vacation by the ocean with a direct flight. That is why the authorities of ex-Ceylon chose to openly warn Russian vacationers about the impending threat, because forewarned means forearmed.

The fact that Russia broke into first place in terms of the number of tourists in Sri Lanka was noted this spring by the tourism industries of both countries and both embassies – the Russian one in Colombo and the Sri Lankan one in Moscow. According to the Ambassador of the Russian Federation, the increase in the number of guests from Russia on the island is noted with great satisfaction, since “we are a very important source of income for the budget of Sri Lanka.” And given the warm welcome, reasonable prices and three direct flights a week from Moscow to Colombo, the Russians reciprocate the love of the Sri Lankans. Due to such a high demand, domestic tour operators organize additional tours to the country even now, when the high season has already ended.

“Sri is always in high season,” the native tourism industry assures optimistically. – It’s just good in the winter on the southwestern island, and in the summer on the northeastern one.

But the authorities of Sri Lanka, who value Russian tourists like a goose that lays golden eggs for them, decided to honestly warn guests that May-early June is the “high season” for dengue, a tropical fever. This period is considered a “shift change” between seasons on different coasts, as the wettest: in the southwest, the rains have already begun, and in the northeast they have not yet ended. At this time, the island is annually overcome by a tropical ailment to one degree or another, but this year, as luck would have it, it threatens to take the form of an epidemic. The National Dengue Control Center (NDCU) officially announced that by mid-May, 33,656 cases of dengue had been reported on the island, with 20 deaths. Moreover, out of the total number of cases over the past 5 months (they get sick more often in regions where the rainy season is at this time), more than 4 thousand cases were recorded in the first two weeks of May, which makes us talk about a mass outbreak of the disease.

– Are we talking about local residents? – I check with a resident of Hikkaduwa – a resort in the southern province of Sri.

– That’s just the point, because only cases of hospitalization are recorded, and the Sri Lankans turn to doctors only in the most extreme cases. Especially with dengue, we are all familiar with it since childhood. No one even pays attention – got sick and forgot. But 33 thousand Sri Lankans in the hospital and 20 deaths are a problem!

But in the Colombo hospital they assure that it is not worth worrying too much and canceling trips: this is not an epidemic yet, and it can be prevented if tourists take precautions. The local authorities warned the guests not to intimidate, but just to prevent the epidemic.

– We have the most Russians, – they share in the Sri Lankan travel agency, – and they are the most fearless. They go deep into the island, into the jungle, into the mountains, into the rainy forest (rain forests are jungles in the lowlands at the foot of the mountains, due to their location, moisture from their abundant vegetation accumulated during the rainy season does not evaporate all year round – author). One client boasted to me that he got leeches there – they say it is good for blood circulation. Maybe useful, but not our Sri Lankan leeches! Here it is better not to allow bites of any living creatures!

The National Dengue Control Center also agrees: wet places should be avoided, as they, like the current weather conditions (70% humidity throughout the island in May), exacerbate the breeding of mosquitoes that carry the infection. Sri Lankan doctors indicated the 10 most dangerous places for tourists: in the Colombo district – Gotatuwa, Piliandala, Kaduwela, Maharagama and Battaramulla. In the district of Gampaha – Wattala, Negombo, Biyagama, Ragama and Ja-Ela.

– A severe form of dengue occurs only in those who have gradually become infected with all types of the virus, and there are 4 of them – DEN-1, 2, 3 and 4 – domestic epidemiologists answer the question of whether to hand over tickets for Shri. – That is, in order to get into a hospital bed, you must very hard do what is not recommended. But this is only possible with asymptomatic fever after the first bite. Otherwise, you will not be up to walks in the wet forests.

Another name for Dengue is bone-breaking fever. This viral disease, transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito, causes severe pain throughout the body – the head, eyes, muscles and joints. Some infected people also develop a rash, bleeding of varying intensity from a variety of places – the nose, mouth, gums, and bruises of unknown origin appear on the body. On average, the acute stage of the disease lasts a week, accompanied by a high temperature. The most dangerous “side effect” – shock, occurs if the acute stage is not treated, people with weak blood vessels, heart and kidneys are at risk.

Sri Lankan doctors, experienced in the fight against dengue, advise tourists to avoid mosquito bites by all means – wear closed clothes, use repellents and mosquito nets. Remove from the dwelling and its surroundings all possible sources of mosquito breeding – stagnant water, open garbage containers and water tanks, etc. Monitor your well-being and, at the first sign of malaise, take an analysis for dengue. Do not self-medicate, do not use aspirin at high temperatures (with dengue, this will only worsen the condition. Follow the rules of hygiene – wash your hands often and take out the trash. And until mid-June, refrain from visiting not only Rainy Forest, but also not being near standing bodies of water, especially at dawn and dusk, when dengue mosquitoes are especially ferocious.