Is dengue fever a real risk in Sri Lanka right now, and should tourists worry?

Dengue outbreaks in Sri Lanka are routine, similar to seasonal flu elsewhere. Coastal areas have very few mosquitoes. Using repellent is usually sufficient protection.

Dengue symptoms resemble food poisoning: diarrhea, vomiting, fever. Most tourists recover without seeing a doctor. A blood test is the only way to confirm the diagnosis.

There is no vaccine or specific treatment for dengue — only symptom management. Critically: only use paracetamol to reduce fever. Ibuprofen, aspirin, and similar drugs thin the blood, which is dangerous in severe dengue cases.

Dengue has an incubation period of up to 10 days and is only transmitted by mosquito bites — not person to person. Mosquito repellents and plug-in fumigators are available in shops at Colombo airport on arrival.