There have been 1296 cases of common fever detected in the country according to a survey conducted by the Regional Director of Health Services (RDHS) in eight villages in three districts. The blood samples obtained from fever patients have been sent to the MRI in Borella for testing to ascertain the exact illness as the symptoms were very similar to symptoms of Chikungunya, Deputy Director, Health Services Dr. Athula Dangalle told the Daily Mirror. However there had been a sharp increase in common fever cases reported in Rassagala and Balangoda. By May 1 there had been 1296 cases of common fever detected through a survey conducted by the RDHS office carried out in 8 villages in three AGA divisions, he said. The spread of common fever is on the rise in the Ratnapura District due to incessant rains while the prevalence of Chikungunya has receded to some extent, health authorities in the district said yesterday. "There was a sharp increase of Chikungunya during the last week of April with 101 positive cases reported from Kuruwita, Kiriella and Eheliyagoda out of 1900 hospital admissions in 37 hospitals in the district. The hospital admissions have now come down to around 1000,' Deputy Director, Health Services Dr. Athula Dangalle told Daily Minor yesterday. He said an awareness programme targeting school children in addition to a house to house education programme has been launched to draw the attention of the public about the necessity to keep their environment free of vector borne diseases and how to destroy mosquito breeding places, Dr. Dangalle said. "Vector borne disease cannot be controlled without the assistance of the public. They must keep their environment clean and tidy at all times and prevent mosquito breeding in their households and the neighbourhood,' he stressed.