Sixty-two people have died and over 42,000 were infected by the dengue virus across Sri Lanka in the first eight months of this year, health officials said on August 29.

As of August 23, a total of 42,051 dengue cases were reported, with the highest number of cases reported from the Colombo district with 8,808 cases, followed by Gampaha in the outskirts of Colombo with over 6,388 cases and Galle in southern Sri Lanka with 4,377 cases, reports Xinhua news agency.

The Epidemiology Unit said it had identified five high risk districts including Colombo, Gampaha, Galle, Kalutara and Ratnapura. Medical experts have urged people to seek immediate medical attention if they suffer from high fever, uncontrolled vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness and reduced urinary. "All fever patients need rest and should refrain from attending work or school," epidemiologists said. "Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) can be fatal," epidemiologists added.

Medical experts have further urged pregnant women to seek hospital admission immediately on the first day of fever. Last year, over 50 people died and over 48,000 were affected by the dengue virus in Sri Lanka, with the National Dengue Control Unit launching several programmes to eradicate dengue's breeding grounds in several districts of the island country.