Singapore’s DORSCON level may now be at Yellow as the Covid-19 pandemic subsides, but there is another health concern that is on the rise.
In mid-April, the National Environment Agency (NEA) logged 736 dengue cases in one week. This was the highest weekly case count since Sep 2020. Unfortunately, that number has continued to grow.
The authorities recently identified 941 dengue cases in the week ending 23 Apr. So far, 6,000 cases have been recorded this year, surpassing the number of infections in 2021.
NEA is now urging the public to take urgent action to stop the breeding of mosquitoes in their homes. Failure to do so could result in a hefty fine and jail time.
According to NEA’s statement on Thursday (28 Apr), 941 dengue cases were reported in the week ending 23 Apr, over 200 more than the previous week.
The Straits Times (ST) notes that this is the highest seven-day count since Aug 2020, which saw 1,153 cases in one week.
The latest update brings the number of dengue infections in Singapore to more than 6,000 this year, exceeding the 5,258 cases reported in 2021.
This is even before the traditional peak dengue season, which is from June to October.
NEA added that there are 193 active dengue clusters as of Tuesday (26 Apr). The number of Aedes mosquito breeding sites has also almost doubled from around 1,300 in February to 2,400 in March.
While NEA has managed to close almost 400 dengue clusters since the beginning of the year, they are still finding “multiple mosquito breeding habitats” and “habitats with profuse mosquito breeding”.
Image courtesy of the National Environment Agency
This includes residential premises along Borthwick Drive and Grove Avenue, condominium compounds in Bukit Batok and Hougang, a carpark at Cheong Chin Nam Road, and a construction site in Serangoon.
Those responsible will face “strong enforcement action” due to their failure to carry out mosquito control checks amidst the severe dengue situation.
NEA warned that those who commit “repeat mosquito breeding offences” could be fined up to S$5,000 and/or jailed for up to three months for their first conviction. Repeat offenders will receive harsher penalties.
Residents are urged to cooperate with officers’ dengue checks and take action to reduce the mosquito population.
They can do so by regularly practising the Mozzie Wipeout “B-L-O-C-K” steps:
NEA also advises the public to perform these steps at least once a week.
Neglecting to perform the necessary basic mosquito checks can lead to devastating consequences.
It is up to us to ensure that our premises are free of mosquito breeding habitats so the dengue problem can be brought under control.
After all, if there’s anything the pandemic has taught us, it’s that we should never be complacent when it comes to something that could affect the health and safety of ourselves and everyone around us.
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Featured image adapted from Wikipedia and the National Environment Agency.
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