SINGAPORE: The National Dengue Prevention Campaign 2024 was launched at Bukit Batok by the National Environment Agency (NEA) on Sunday (March 31) to urge everyone to fight dengue.
While dengue cases dropped significantly last year, the scenario differs this year. More than 5,000 cases have been reported in 2024, more than double the 2,360 cases reported in the same period last year.
Additionally, there have already been seven deaths from dengue, one more than the six deaths reported in total last year.
NEA noted that this year’s campaign to prevent dengue comes earlier than the traditional disease season, from May to October.
Mr Baey Yam Keng, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and the Environment, “urged collective responsibility and action to fight dengue, amidst the ongoing dengue situation,” NEA said in a media statement, where the agency underlined the seriousness of dengue, as it could lead to death.
NEA also announced that the weekly number of reported dengue cases has been over 300 since 2024 began.
The population of the Aedes mosquito has also remained high, and the number of the insect’s breeding habitats in January was more than double the number at the same time last year.
“Our population in Singapore has low immunity to all four Dengue virus serotypes too. The continued presence of all these dengue risk factors may lead to a surge in dengue cases in the coming months if insufficient action is taken,” NEA said.
In 2023, a dengue outbreak was prevented in Singapore because of stepped-up preventative efforts, including sustained community efforts to remove stagnant water, intensified vector control measures, and more public communications and outreach efforts.
From 32,173 dengue cases in Singapore in 2022, this number fell to 9,949 in 2023, a 69 per cent decrease.
In contrast, dengue cases saw an upswing globally, with a historic high of more than 5,000,000 cases and over 5,000 dengue-related deaths in Africa, the Americas, Southeast Asia, Western Pacific, and Eastern Mediterranean regions.
This year’s dengue prevention campaign “emphasises that dengue prevention is a social responsibility and will continue to rally the community to remain vigilant and reduce the risk of dengue infection.”
NEA urged everyone to prevent dengue by regularly practising the following ‘B-L-O-C-K’ steps: Break up hardened soil, Lift and empty flowerpot plates, Overturn pails and wipe their rims, Change water in vases, and Keep roof gutters clear and place BTI insecticide inside.
Residents, particularly those who live in areas where there are dengue clusters, should do their part with ‘S-A-W’ protective actions against the disease: Spray insecticide in dark corners around the house, Apply insect repellent regularly, and Wear long-sleeve tops and long pants. /TIS
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