Tough action on dengue fever

Sri Lankan police have arrested 53 people for failing to eliminate stagnant water and other mosquito breeding grounds as the country tries to prevent the spread of dengue fever, which has infected thousands of people already this year.

Police, army and health officers searched 11,500 houses in the capital Colombo on Sunday, police spokesman Ajith Rohana said. Those arrested face fines and up to six months in jail.

He said this is the first time police have made such a large number of arrests in Colombo over such environmental issues.

Dengue fever has killed 74 people this year.