Number of dengue cases in 2019 surpasses last year's total count

Channel NewsAsia 17 May 19;

SINGAPORE: The number of dengue cases recorded in 2019 so far has surpassed the total number of cases in 2018, figures from the National Environment Agency (NEA) show.

As of 3pm on Thursday (May 16), there have been 3,455 dengue cases in Singapore in 2019, more than the 3,285 cases reported in 2018 and 2,772 cases in 2017.

Three people have died from dengue this year amid the spike in the number of cases. In March, a 71-year-old woman who lived in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4 died from dengue.

A 74-year-old man, who stayed in Bedok Reservoir Road, died on Feb 3, while a 77-year-old man, who stayed at Hougang Avenue 3, died on Feb 7.

NEA received 291 reports of dengue cases in the week ending May 11 - the highest weekly recorded figure so far this year.

"The number of weekly reported dengue cases have been on an upward trend and more than doubled in the past seven weeks," the agency wrote on its website.

As of Monday, there were 44 active dengue clusters, according to the figures from NEA. The five largest clusters were located at:

Woodlands Avenue 6/Woodlands Crescent/Woodlands Drive 60/Woodlands Drive 72
Woodlands Avenue 6/Woodlands Drive 62 /Woodlands Drive 73/Woodlands Drive 75
Chai Chee Drive/Chai Chee Road/Chai Chee Street
Guillemard Road/Lorong 8 Geylang/Lorong 12 Geylang/Lorong 14 Geylang/Lorong 16 Geylang/Lorong 20 Geylang/Lorong 22 Geylang/Westerhout Road
Jalan Chengam/Jalan Gelenggang/Jalan Kuras/Jalan Leban/Jalan Tarum/Sembawang Hills Drive/St Nicholas View/Thomson Walk

"As we approach the warmer months of June to October, we usually see higher transmission of dengue in Singapore due to the accelerated development of the Aedes mosquito and the shorter incubation period of the dengue virus," NEA said.

"NEA urges all members of the public and stakeholders to take active steps to keep the mosquito population in check in the run up to the traditional peak dengue season."

It said members of the public can help stem dengue transmission by removing stagnant water through ways like tipping vases and loosening hardened soil.

"Community-led efforts to remove stagnant water from our homes and immediate surroundings play a key role in protecting our neighbourhoods from dengue," the agency wrote.

The Wolbachia mosquito project - a study by NEA to reduce the Aedes mosquito population and fight dengue - was expanded this year to include areas like Nee Soon and Tampines.

Under the project, male Wolbachia-Aedes mosquitoes, which have been infected with the Wolbachia bacterium will be released into the test sites. When they mate with female Aedes mosquitoes, the eggs the females lay will not hatch, said NEA.

Source: CNA/aa