In an article yesterday, The Straits Times reported that the number of dengue cases has been rising since the start of the year, and might continue to.
SINGAPORE - Dengue cases last week rose slightly to 247, marking the fourth straight week the figure has been on the up.
According to the latest figures on the National Environment Agency's (NEA) dengue website, this was 13 more cases than the previous week.
Another 26 cases of the mosquito-borne virus were reported from Sunday (July 10) to 3 pm on Monday (July 11).
In total, 9,417 dengue cases have been reported since the start of 2016. Photo credit: The Straits Times, 12 July 2016, retrieved from http://www.straitstimes.com
In total, 9,417 cases have been reported since the start of 2016.
With Singapore currently in the traditional peak dengue season, NEA has already warned the public that an upward trend of dengue cases in the coming months is to be anticipated.
It said at the end of June that the number of cases recorded is more than twice last year's figure for the same period.
As a large proportion of Singapore's population is susceptible to dengue due to the lack of immunity, measures to curb the mosquito population are paramount in preventing a surge in the infection, NEA added.
As of Monday, there were 49 active dengue clusters, with eight classified as high-risk.
A cluster in the Telok Kurau area on East Coast is currently the highest risk with 63 cases in total.
This news is alarming, as, despite the wetter and cooler La Nina period (June - September) as compared to the previous, warmer El Nino period, mosquitoes still seem to be thriving. There had already been 4 deaths due to dengue in the first half of this year alone. Preventive, proactive efforts to prevent mosquito breeding need to be taken a notch higher, and treated more seriously, by health agencies, pest management companies, as well as citizens themselves. There can be no room for carelessness or neglect, with every person playing their part actively to fight the battle against dengue collectively.
If you suspect that your home or premise has mosquito breeding issues, please contact a pest management company to do a thorough inspection and treatment immediately. Mosquito infestation is not just an issue of pest control, but also one of public healthcare, and should be given utmost priority.
Read More >> How to Prevent Dengue from Spreading?
References
Dengue Cases Climb to 247 in 4th Straight Week of Increase, The Straits Times, 12 July 2016. Retrieved from http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/environment/dengue-cases-climb-to-247-in-4th-straight-week-of-increaseORIGIN takes mosquito pest control seriously and offers a highly effective, environmentally conscious, and family-safe treatment.
