Throughout the past two years, over 230,000 people in Sri Lanka have contracted the dengue virus, while over 500 of them have resulted in fatalities. 32-40% of these patients are children below the age of nine. Sri Lanka frequently faces unpredictable outbreaks of dengue fever. Each monsoon season brings in two peaks of dengue fever making it an endemic disease in Sri Lanka. However, 2017 started with an exceptionally high number of dengue cases which shot up to an outbreak in May-June 2017, creating the largest dengue outbreak experienced by the country for last three decades. As there is no vaccine present to combat this virus, experts agree that the best solution is to prevent breeding, hence citizens need to be constantly vigilant.

Statistics have shown that a vast majority of individuals who were infected with this virus were breeding the virus-harboring mosquitoes in their own backyard whereas almost all the time, the breeding of mosquitoes can be seen within a 100m radius from those infected. The Public health department of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) has been tasked with inspecting areas for dengue breeding in Sri Lanka’s largest city. However, with little manpower at their disposal and dengue hotspots flaring up in multiple locations the challenge was to get people to be disciplined and inspect their own premises by educating them on the need to be constantly vigilant by protecting themselves and their surroundings against dengue.

Despite all their efforts, the Public Health Department of the CMC has observed that their authority was not enough to curtail this deadly issue.

Therefore in an unprecedented initiative, civic authorities tied up with religious authorities to bring together many disciplines such as science, religion and creativity in order to create a constant reminder of the dengue virus in the form of a thread tied around the wrist, much like a pirith noola or kaasi kayiru which are threads of protection. Working with entomologists the dengue mosquito was put under the microscope to identify its unique black and white marker present on its body.

Having isolated the most identifiable markers it was then studied to understand the composition and proportions of the black and white markings and with the partnership of A&E Lanka, a part of American & Efird (A&E) LLC. They happen to be one of the world’s foremost manufacturers of industrial sewing thread. This was the birth of Life Thread.

Thus far over 5000m of life thread have been produced with the same insignia as the dengue mosquito. Life Thread triggers an instant association with the dengue mosquito when seen by the wearer or anyone around, adding to the fact that it is backed by blessings from religious authorities. Life Thread will be infused with citronella oil which has mosquito repellent effects, not only standing as a constant reminder on the need to stay vigilant against dengue but also protecting one from mosquito bites.