New dengue cases in Singapore dip to 3-month low

Channel NewsAsia 20 Sep 16;

SINGAPORE: The number of new dengue cases in Singapore fell to a three-month low and the second-lowest weekly figure this year, according to figures published on the National Environment Agency’s (NEA) dengue website on Tuesday (Sep 20).

A total of 175 dengue cases were reported in the week ending Sep 17, the lowest this year since 161 cases were reported in the week ending Jun 11.

About 11,760 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 40 active dengue clusters in Singapore – down from 64 the previous week – including 10 classified as high-risk. The biggest cluster is in the area near Bedok Rise, where 64 cases have been reported, including six in the past fortnight.

The Ministry of Health 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.

Singapore also reported its first case of locally transmitted Zika late last month. It has since confirmed a total of 381 cases.

- CNA/cy