Sri Lanka is making progress in the battle against mosquito-borne dengue fever, say health officials.

"Over the last two years we have gone all out to stop the spread of dengue," Pabha Palihawadana, head of the Health Ministry's Epidemiology Unit, told IRIN. "Now we are seeing some of the results."

In 2011, 26,722 cases were reported - down from 34,105 cases in 2010 - the Health Ministry reported. The number of deaths dropped from 246 to 172.

Dengue infections rose suddenly in 2009, when 35,000 infections were reported - an almost six-fold rise on 2008 when there were 6,607 cases. This prompted the authorities to take action, but the number of infections continued at a high level. "That is when we knew we needed help," Palihawadana said.

In May 2010, an anti-dengue Presidential Task Force - involving the ministries of health, defence, the environment, education, and local government, and headed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa - was set up and a massive community prevention campaign launched using billboards, TV advertising and even schoolchildren to raise awareness.

At the same time, military and civil defence forces began cleaning up areas suspected of being mosquito breeding grounds. Dumping rubbish in unauthorized locations became a criminal offence with fines of up to US$40; and public health inspectors began visiting homes in search of potential breeding places.

"It was with the fines and the environmental police that we saw the tide beginning to shift," Palihawadana explained.

Urban areas have been particularly susceptible to dengue: In 2011, nearly 15,000 infections and 115 deaths were reported in Western Province, the island's most populous region and home to the country's largest city, Colombo. Other urbanized districts with high rates of infection include Kandy (1,553), Galle (831) and Ratnapura (1,078).