As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to grip Singapore, we often overlook the outbreak of another disease that has been on the rise.
At the end of July, more than 20,000 dengue infections have already been recorded.
Even just within the past 7 months, the number of dengue cases Singapore has seen has far exceeded the annual total in previous years.
One Singaporean photographer, knows all too well about the dangers of dengue. He recounted his experience of contracting dengue 3 times.
He also did a photo documentation of his mother’s journey when she contracted it, so as to remind Singaporeans to never be complacent with the disease’s threat.
Many would remember their day of enlistment into National Service as a momentous one.
For this photographer, it was especially memorable. His day of enlistment was the first time he contracted dengue fever.
He recalled waking up in the middle of the night with a burning forehead and a terrible backache. He “immediately realised it wasn’t a normal fever”.
Eventually, he got admitted to the hospital for dengue.
The man laughs recollecting how he wanted to leave the hospital, afraid of getting charged for not turning up on enlistment day.
When a person is infected with dengue for a second time, they are at greater risk for a more severe case of it.
By the photographer’s third encounter with the disease, a blood transfusion was necessary.
He had a high fever beyond 40°C and was pale and motionless on the hospital bed.
The photographer highlights the severity of dengue, stating that fevers can get so high they cause permanent brain damage. This was what happened to him.
His short-term memory has degraded ever since and it is not showing signs of improving.
He adds that this has been a motivation for him to pick up photography. He truly believed that he might lose his memory one day.
Now, he photographs everything and geotags the location so he could remember and look back in years to come.
In the photographer’s Facebook post, he recounts how his mother had contracted dengue for the first time, 2 weeks ago.
His own experience of dengue has been an extremely painful one. It is filled with unbearable backaches and high fevers.
Because of this, it pained him to see his mother go through it. He hopes “it wouldn’t happen to her or anyone else again”.
His mother has been discharged and is recovering well.
Singapore has hit an all-time high for dengue cases. He implores everyone to stay safe by being mindful of the little things we can do to guard ourselves against the disease.
You can read his full Facebook post here.
Dengue is often overlooked as a serious disease in Singapore.
We hope this photographer’s account of dengue will remind all of the severity of the disease.
Be mindful of the precautions we can take, like protecting ourselves and ensuring there is no stagnant water within our houses and in common areas.
These are small ways we can help in Singapore’s fight against dengue.
Featured image adapted from Facebook.
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