Online Desk: At least nine more people died from dengue in 24 hours preceding 8:00am today as the country grapples with a record outbreak of the mosquito-borne disease.

Of the nine deaths, four were reported in the capital.

At least 459 dengue patients were hospitalised in the 24-hour period, according to data from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

Dengue has so far claimed at least 1661 lives this year and nearly 317,232 were infected, making this the deadliest year since the first recorded epidemic in 2000.

According to DGHS data, 2,291 dengue patients were undergoing treatment at different hospitals across the country.

A total of 313,280 patients have so far been released from hospitals across the country this year.