Aedes aegypti or yellow fever mosquito. Close up a Mosquito sucking human blood,Vector borne diseases, Chikungunya, Dengue fever Rift Valley fever, Yellow fever, Zika, from Shutterstock.com

As the dengue outbreak in Singapore continues to rise at a worrying rate, three more people have lost their lives due to dengue fever. This latest figure brings the total number of dengue deaths in the country this year to 19.

The age range of those who have died were 49 to 92 years old. Out of the total deaths, 17 of them were working or residing in a dengue cluster. In 2019, a total of 20 people died due to dengue.

This is the sixth consecutive week of dengue infections reaching more than 1,000 cases. A total of 1,736 cases were recorded last week, an increase of 65 cases from the week earlier.

As of now, there are 413 active dengue clusters in the country, with majority of them concentrated in the eastern part of Singapore.

Despite efforts by the National Environment Agency (NEA) to curb the spread of the mosquito-borne disease, the number of active clusters continue to soar.

Out of the 413 active clusters, 141 are classified as high risk as there are 10 or more people infected within 150m of each other in a two week period. Currently, there are 19 huge clusters with 100 people or more infected.

Since January this year, 18,673 individuals have been infected, a figure exceeded only in 2013, when 22,170 people were diagnosed with dengue fever in the entire year.

According to the Ministry of Health (MOH), more than 3,100 people, or 17 percent, have been admitted in public hospitals this year due to dengue. If that’s not bad enough, about 1 percent of them were so seriously ill that they had to be moved to intensive care.

Dengue clusters

Out of the identified clusters, two of the biggest ones are in the Aljunied-Geylang Guillemard area (147 breeding sites found) and the Bukit Panjang-Woodlands area (51 breeding sites found). Both these clusters recorded 260 cases each.

The single block with the highest number of infected cases is Block 608 in Senja Road with 33 cases.

The third super cluster is in the Mountbatten Road area, with 73 breeding sites detected and 234 infections recorded.

The NEA revealed that it had carried out more than 454,000 inspections in Singapore in the first six months and identified nearly 11,700 mosquito breeding areas.

It added that in May and June this year, it found 50 percent more breeding in homes and double the number in condominium grounds, construction sites, common areas and other places such as schools.

It is possible that the increase could be due to less maintenance conducted during the two month-long circuit breaker period from 7 April. If that’s not all, the COVID-19 outbreak at migrant worker dormitories led also to a drop in the number of workers available to do the job.

For those who are caught breeding mosquitoes, the penalty has been increased from last Wednesday. Instead of S$200 for the first three infringements, the amount has now been raised to S$300 for household found to have breeding site after they have been served notice that they are in a dengue cluster, or if more than one breeding spot is detected.

For the first half of 2020, NEA has taken action against 1,020 residential property owners for more than 6,000 breeding sites found. The Agency has also acted against the owners of more than 2,000 premises for mosquito breeding.

As for construction site caught breeding mosquitoes, the fine has also increased from S$2,000 to S$3,000, whereas town councils are fined up to S$5,000 for breeding spots find in common areas.

Subscribe
Notify of
1 Comment
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
You May Also Like

李绳武上诉遭驳回 总检察署可境外递交法律文件

由大法官梅达顺、上诉庭法官郑永光和庄泓翔所组成的三司,于今午(4月1日)裁定驳回李显扬之子李绳武的上诉,总检察署获准在美国递交法律文件给李绳武。 李绳武也在个人脸书更新上诉进展。根据其贴文,总检察署无法引用2017年10月后的新法庭条例,应用在针对他藐视法庭的诉讼。 不过,上诉庭仍裁决允许总检察署,针对李绳武的脸书贴文涉嫌藐视法庭一案,在美国递交法律文件给后者。这是因为对于在境外涉嫌藐视法庭者,提交法律文件程序乃根据法庭条例的规范。 如今,案件审讯将转入实质的抗辩过程。 绳武:仍需证明我的贴文如何藐视法庭 李绳武透露对上诉裁决的失望,“不过,总检察署还是必须先拿出足够理据证明,我的私人脸书贴文何种程度上贬砥了新加坡的司法机构。” 李绳武也不忘抨击,在这长达1年又8个月的时间,政府又耗费了多少国家资源来对付他和他的母亲林学芬?“就我所知,我的伯伯李显龙似乎很满意现况,即便这让大家都想起了他在欧思礼路38号故居事件上的不齿行为。” 今年1月18日,大法官梅达顺和上诉庭法官郑永光和庄泓翔组成三司,受理李绳武的上诉,经三小时聆听双方陈词后,决定择日作裁决。 三司要求双方律师针对两个议题陈词,即:法院是否有行使实质管辖权的法律依据,来对付涉嫌在海外藐视法庭者? 以及,总检察署提出的新法庭条例,是否具有追溯力。 上诉庭曾指起诉绳武案出现“必然困难” 当时,大法官梅达顺在审讯时坦言,总检察署起诉李绳武一案,显现“必然的困难”(Inherent…

Earth Day Special: Equity and the Green Movement

Stephanie Chok asks if the green movement could do with a boost of revolutionary red.

【选举】工人党将角逐四集选区、二单选区

工人党秘书长毕丹星宣布,工人党将在本届大选出战四个集选区与两个单选区。 该党将捍卫目前议席:阿裕尼集选区(Aljunied GRC)和后港单选区(Hougang SMC)。与此同时,攻打东海岸集选区(East Coast GRC)、马林百列集选区(Marine Parade GRC)、盛港集选区(Sengkang GRC)与榜鹅西单选区(Punggol West SMC)。 工人党成员和志工,早前就已积极走访勿洛蓄水池、榜鹅、实龙岗、巴耶利峇和盛港安谷(Anchorvale…