How is dengue diagnosed in Sri Lanka?

In Sri Lanka, dengue diagnosis is done with a combination of clinical symptom checking and targeted blood work, mostly the Dengue NS1 Antigen test together with a Full Blood Count (FBC).

With the NS1 Antigen test, the dengue virus can be found in the bloodstream starting from day one of fever up to day five. At the same time, doctors use the Full Blood Count to watch white blood cell and platelet levels, which often drop sharply during a dengue illness. For rapid confirmation, diagnostic testing is widely accessible in public and private medical laboratories around the island.