Dengue cases rise again after two-week decline

Channel NewsAsia 24 Aug 16;

SINGAPORE: The number of new dengue cases in Singapore is on the rise again, with 222 cases reported in the week ending Aug 20, according to latest figures on the National Environment Agency’s (NEA) dengue website.

This is an increase from the previous two weeks, when 210 cases and 198 cases were reported, respectively. Another 39 cases were reported between Aug 21 and 3pm on Aug 22.

A total of 10,769 dengue cases have been reported in Singapore since the start of the year. Seven people have died of the disease so far, with the latest fatality a 79-year-old man who lived in Eastwood Drive near Upper East Coast Road. There were four dengue fatalities in the whole of 2015.

There are now 46 active dengue clusters in Singapore – up from 43 the previous week – including 11 classified as high-risk. The biggest cluster is in the area around Tampines Ave 8, Tampines Street 81, Street 83 and Street 84, where 55 cases have been reported, including two in the past fortnight.

In an advisory on its dengue website, NEA said that although the number of cases has been fluctuating within the same range for the past few weeks, it expects the figure to climb in the coming months as Singapore is in the traditional peak dengue season.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) and NEA have warned that the number of dengue cases in Singapore may exceed 30,000 this year, higher than the record of 22,170 reported in 2013.

- CNA/cy