Law student dies of dengue at university

A second year student of the Faculty of Law, died of dengue Wednesday.

The death of SP Nisansala Priyanthi Samarasinghe of Debathgama from the University of Colombo due to dengue fever sent shock waves around the country.

Specialists on the subject warmed of a sudden increase in the spread of the disease in the coming two months.

Nisansala born on1991 August 15 was the youngest in the family. Hailing from Kegalle she excelled in ther 12th Advance Level examination with flying colours at St Joseph’s Girls School.  She scored the third highest at the ALs in the Kegalle District and entered the Law faculty in the year 2011.

Nisansala visited her home on May 23 during Vesak holidays returned to her dormitory on the 25th.

Three days later she fell ill and was rushed to hospital by her fellow students. However, on the 30th she fell unconscious near the dorm bathroom and was rushed to the hospital.

The hospital staff tried their best to save Nisansala and her parents were informed about the seriousness of the dengue fever.

Nisansala fought back dengue but could not win at the end.

Nisanslala died on  June 5th early in the morning in the hospital. The student succumbed to the virus, while undergoing treatment at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka (NHSL).

The University of Colombo was shut down few days before her death after discovering dengue mosquito larvae on the top floor of the faculty building.

The alarming spread of the virus was discussed at a special dialogue held on Tuesday, with the participation of Secretary to the Ministry of Health, Dr. Nihal Jayatillake.

The discussion focused on the prevailing weather conditions as well as the lacklustre attitude of both private and government sector.

Both the entitities earlier failed to take actions in oreder to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes in office premises.

Dr Jayatillake assured  that a large-scale dengue eradication programme is being planned for Colombo and the suburbs, with the help of Ministries of Health and Defence, the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), the Western Provincial Council, Sri Lanka Army, Police, Public Health Inspectors and dengue specialists.

In the last five months alone, some 13,500 cases of dengue were reported throughout the island, with 46% of the cases originating from the Colombo and Gampaha Districts.

The largest percentages of those afflicted are students, with the conditions of 63 of 147 schools inspected by the CMC being deemed unsatisfactory, with regard to the presence of dengue mosquito larvae in school premises.
 

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