Kandy at risk of infectious disease outbreak following Dalada exposition, health officials warn

Health authorities have warned about the potential for infectious disease outbreaks in Kandy following the conclusion of the ‘Siri Dalada Vandana’, which drew tens of thousands of devotees to the hill capital.

According to the Public Health Inspectors Union, the massive influx of pilgrims has severely strained Kandy’s public health infrastructure, with conditions now ripe for the spread of diseases such as diarrhea, dengue, and chikungunya.

“The city’s systems simply could not cope with the crowd size this year,” said Upul Rohana, President of the Union. “We are already seeing fever and skin disease cases among pilgrims, which could signal the early stages of a more widespread outbreak unless immediate action is taken.”

The Kandy Municipal Council reported that the amount of garbage collected in just one day during the pilgrimage season was equivalent to the waste typically gathered over a full month. Compounding the crisis is a lack of proper waste management and sanitation facilities, which has created an environment conducive to disease transmission.

One particularly alarming development was the widespread use of the Mahaweli River banks as makeshift toilet facilities by pilgrims due to insufficient public restrooms. Health officials warned that this posed a dual threat to both environmental and public health safety.

Unlike previous years, where crowds remained largely within the Kandy Municipal Council boundaries, this year’s pilgrimage overflowed into the surrounding Pradeshiya Sabha areas, further taxing already limited resources.

In response, about 1,000 temples were authorized to provide food to pilgrims, with health authorities imposing restrictions on the distribution of certain items, including frozen milk and some beverages, to mitigate the risk of foodborne illnesses.

“We urge everyone to remain vigilant,” Rohana said. “Anyone experiencing symptoms like fever, vomiting, or rashes should seek medical care without delay.”

Public health officials are now working urgently to implement preventive measures and are calling for increased public cooperation to avert a potential health crisis in the wake of one of the country’s most significant religious gatherings.