WP accounts for 40% of leprosy cases in Sri Lanka
Sixty nine out of the 173 children who had contracted leprosy, by the end of last year, are from the western province, Dr. Dammika Jayalath, Western Provincial Director of Health Services, told the media on Thursday.
She said that of the total number of reported leprosy cases around 40 percent are from the western province. There are 1,550 reported cases in Sri Lanka and 599 are from the western province, Dr. Jayalath said.
Colombo district is on top with 315 cases among the districts, 168 are from the Gampaha district, and 116 are from the Kalutara district, she said.
The children have contracted the disease from their elders at home, she mentioned. Therefore, it’s vital to prevent the spread of the disease among adults, she added.