Last Sunday (Feb 3), the first death was of a 74-year-old man, reported in an active dengue cluster in Bedok.
An appalling total of 167 dengue cases have been reported in the dengue cluster of Bedok Reservoir Road, Jalan Damai, Jalan Tenaga and Kaki Bukit Avenue 1 since 23 Nov 2018.
The other victim was a 77-year-old man living in Hougang Avenue 3 who died last Thursday (Feb 7).
So far, there are only 6 incidences of dengue reported in the same affected estate. However, the issue of dengue in a heartlands is still a pressing one.
From the number of dengue cases rocketing to 455 within the first two weeks of Jan 2019 to the first two deaths caused by dengue in Feb 2019, dengue seems to be a pressing concern for 2019.
The government did warn the public that with the expected abnormal climatic characteristics such as higher temperatures and irregular rainfall patterns, the spread of the mosquito-borne disease was likely to worsen this year.
102 mosquito breeding habitats were found and destroyed in Bedok cluster as of Friday (8 Feb).
Amongst the 102 breeding spots, 79 were in residential areas, eight in industrial areas and 15 in common areas.
Hougang Avenue 3 also housed 2 mosquito breeding habitats, detected in common areas, have been found and destroyed as of Friday (8 Feb).
In addition to existing measures such as spraying insecticide in common areas/homes and putting up banners to create awareness, NEA is also working with the Dengue Prevention Volunteers (DPVs) to conduct house visits in order to disseminate information and create a monitoring system.
Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are primarily responsible for transmitting dengue and Zika.
NEA has devised a way to ensure that they are unable to breed.
By releasing male Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes to mate with female Aedes mosquitoes, thus producing infertile eggs — their population is therefore curbed.
The success of this project has been proven in areas like Nee Soon East and Tampines West, where the population of dengue-carrying mosquitoes has been cut by about 80% after the release of sterile male mosquitoes.
If you or anyone you know have high fever and at least two of the following, it is advisable to seek medical help ASAP.
While preventive measures have been put in place to combat the dengue menace, more needs to be done on an individual level to prevent the possibilities of a dengue epidemic.
You have an integral role to play in ensuring the safety of yourself, your family and your community. It can be as easy as following the 5-step Mozzie Wipeout.
When it comes to the more vulnerable members of the society such as young children and the elderly, basic preventive measures such as applying insect repellent and checking your premises daily for potential mosquito breeding habitats can go a long way in aiding with dengue prevention.
Featured image from Google Maps.
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