Public health officials are raising the alarm as Kandy faces a potential outbreak of infectious diseases in the aftermath of the massive crowds drawn to the Dalada exposition this month. The Public Health Inspectors (PHI) Association warns that the city is now at heightened risk for the spread of diseases such as diarrhea, dengue, and chikungunya due to poor sanitation, overpopulation, and inadequate infrastructure.
Speaking to the media, PHI Association President Upul Rohana emphasized the severity of the issue, noting that the sheer number of pilgrims who arrived in Kandy during the religious event far exceeded the city’s capacity to manage public health and sanitation.
According to the Kandy Municipal Council, the volume of garbage collected during just one day of the Dalada pilgrimage matched what is typically collected over the course of a month. The council also admitted that there is currently insufficient space or capacity to dispose of the waste properly, resulting in widespread dumping and unhygienic conditions.
Making matters worse, the city was unable to provide enough public toilets for the influx of pilgrims. This has led to widespread open defecation along both banks of the Mahaweli River, raising serious environmental and health concerns. Water contamination in the area could further escalate the threat of disease transmission.
Already, several pilgrims have presented symptoms including fever and skin rashes, indicating the early stages of possible disease spread. Officials fear that in such conditions, the city could see a wider outbreak in the days to come.
While pilgrimages in previous years were mostly confined within the limits of the Kandy Municipal Council, this year’s crowds extended into neighboring Pradeshiya Sabha areas, making containment and monitoring even more difficult.
To address immediate health risks, approximately 1,000 temples across the district were authorized to serve food to pilgrims under health guidelines. Authorities also took preemptive measures to ban the serving of frozen milk and certain beverages at temple food stalls, in an effort to reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses.
Health officials are now calling for urgent intervention, both from local authorities and the central government, to improve sanitation, enhance medical support, and prepare emergency response protocols should a full-blown outbreak occur.
As tens of thousands continue to leave the city after the pilgrimage, public health experts warn that any undetected or uncontained disease could easily spread to other parts of the country, creating a wider national crisis.
