Dengue cases at lowest level since 2001

Straits Times 20 Dec 17;

Dengue infections here reached a 16-year low, with no deaths reported in the first nine months this year, compared with nine last year.

Some 2,629 people had dengue in the first 50 weeks this year. With two weeks left, the total number is likely to be lower than in any year since the 2,372 cases in 2001.

The dip in infections stems from the dominant viral strain this year being DENV-2, which was also the case last year as well as between 2007 and 2012.

As a result, many people previously infected with this strain are immune to it.