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Colombo (Fides News Agency) - Since the beginning of 2026, nearly 28,000 cases of dengue have been recorded in Sri Lanka, with 15 deaths. The epidemic is being exacerbated by the approaching monsoon rains, which encourage the proliferation of virus-carrying mosquitoes. In 2025, a total of approximately 51,000 cases were recorded. According to local health authorities, cases have been registered in all 25 districts, with the highest number of infections in Colombo, Gampaha, Matara, Galle, Ratnapura, and Kalutara, as well as in the urban area of Colombo, all in the Western Province. Sri Lanka's National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU) has raised the alarm, reporting a rapid increase in mosquito breeding grounds in schools, businesses, religious institutions, and public buildings, primarily due to improper waste disposal.
In Sri Lanka, especially in the coastal and western areas, Catholics are a minority. However, the Church has always been actively involved in health crises and continues to participate in community-level initiatives focused on eliminating disease outbreaks in community centers and religious institutions. The Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, is particularly aware of this issue and is actively involved in addressing public health challenges.
During dengue epidemics in recent years, he has repeatedly called for prayer, fasting, and concrete measures such as clean-up campaigns. During the 2017 epidemic, which peaked with over 186,000 suspected cases and hundreds of deaths, the Cardinal called for a week of prayer and fasting, a novena to Saint Sebastian, the patron saint against plague and epidemics, special Masses and processions, and invocations to the Virgin Mary and all the saints.
Among the practical preventative measures recommended by the NDCU, particularly for religious institutions, is weekly cleaning. This could take place, for example, on Sunday mornings in churches or on suitable days for other denominations, involving clergy, staff, volunteers, and parishioners. Further suggestions include the establishment of dengue prevention committees in parishes, similar to other community groups, with the involvement of youth groups, linking the initiative to the theme of care and the protection of creation. (AP) (Fides News Agency, 20/5/2026)
