Which areas in Sri Lanka have the highest risk of dengue?

The greatest risk of dengue in Sri Lanka is mostly concentrated in crowded urban and semi-urban spots, and it remains particularly high within the Western Province (Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara), as well as in the Kandy district.

Dengue mosquitoes seem to prefer human-altered surroundings, where discarded containers, tyres, and construction sites end up holding rainwater. So in practice, the commercial capital, Colombo, and the neighbouring heavily urbanised areas, are the ones that record most of the cases. Less urban places and higher altitude localities like Nuwara Eliya usually show a lower level of risk, even if they are not completely free of it. Travellers who remain for longer periods in major cities should take tight mosquito repellent measures.