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

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

At least 2,056 dengue patients were hospitalised in the 24-hour period, according to Directorate General of Health Services.

Dengue has so far claimed at least 1,255 lives this year and nearly 255,046 were infected, making this the deadliest year since the first recorded epidemic in 2000.

According to DGHS data, 7,677 dengue patients were undergoing treatment at different hospitals across the country.

A total of 246,114 patients have so far been released from hospitals across the country this year.