Singapore reports an ‘unusual’ number of dengue cases for January
Singapore has seen about a 2.5 increase in cases of dengue fever so far in 2013 as compared to 2012 and government authorities are calling for increased vigilance from the public, according to a recent National Environment Agency (NEA) news release.
The total number of cases notified in 2013 as of Jan. 12 is 342, with 208 cases being reported last week alone. The NEA says this is unusual for January, a month that does not fall under the typical April to October peak transmission period.
The increase in cases could be due to the increase in Dengue Type 1 (DEN-1) virus, a less common strain in Singapore, in which the public has less immunity.
According to the NEA:
DEN-2 is the predominant dengue serotype circulating in Singapore, showing up in 75% of dengue cases sampled in the past five years, and DEN-1 serotype shows up in less than 25% of sampled cases in average. In recent months the proportion of DEN-1 cases has been increasing, with most recent results showing 30% of dengue samples containing the DEN-1 serotype.
The agency is stepping up its efforts by deploying more manpower resources to target areas where DEN-1 has been circulating, installing Gravitraps to monitor and trap the adult mosquito population, and working with grassroots to step up community outreach.
In addition, a public educational campaign, which includes conducting house visits and distributing public educational materials such as brochures to members of the public, has been rolled out as part of the anti-dengue arsenal.
They are advising the public to be vigilant about ensuring their homes are free of stagnant water, applying repellent daily during daytime, and to aerosol dark corners such as underneath the bed, sofa, behind curtains in their homes every day.
Mr. Tai Ji Choong, Director of NEA’s Environment Health Department said, “Our stepped up efforts will be for naught unless the public joins in our fight against dengue. We look forward to the public’s support in our efforts, so that our community can worry less about the threat of dengue”.
For more infectious disease news and information, visit and “like” the Infectious Disease News Facebook page
Looking for a job in health care? Check here to see what’s available
[…] #Dengue News: Singapore reports an 'unusual' number… – The Global Dispatch http://t.co/1avXiwYU […]