Sri Lankan universities close, shift to online classes amid dengue surge

Sri Lanka’s University of Colombo has decided to move some lectures online amid the persisting dengue surge on the island, authorities said. The decision comes after the University of Moratuwa and the University of the Visual and Performing Arts temporarily closed their campuses, as the country confronts one of its worst outbreaks of the vector-borne disease. 

The National Dengue Control Unit has reported a total of 65,034 dengue cases this year, with capital Colombo accounting for about a fifth of the cases. As many as 45 dengue-related deaths have been recorded as of July 8, 2026. 

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Since May this year, the University of Colombo has recorded a total of 71 cases, cumulatively, among its students, according to Vice Chancellor Professor Indika Mahesh Karunathilake. “The Faculty of Arts saw more cases of fever, some of which could even be viral or chikungunya. The students were concerned, so we decided to shift to online lessons. The decision is not entirely to do with the current spread, but it is to allow students to rest and recover. We are giving other faculties the option of hybrid lessons,” he told The Hindu. 

As the number of dengue cases across the island rose last month, authorities appointed a military-led team to monitor the outbreak, while hospitals reported overcrowding of patients. “The tri-forces and police have helped us intensify inspection, including through drone cameras, clean up campaigns, fogging operations and awareness,” a senior official with the Unit told The Hindu. “We need to wait for about two weeks, considering the incubation period and life cycle of the vectors for a realistic assessment. While we are doing our best, the situation is still challenging,” the official said, comparing the current outbreak to the one seen in 2017, Sri Lanka’s largest. That year, a total of 186,101 cases were reported.  

Public health officials have linked the current outbreak to the debris from Cyclone Ditwah, which hit Sri Lanka in December 2025, claiming over 600 lives and leaving behind a long path of destruction.