Skip to main content

Advertisement

Advertisement

NEA steps up efforts to clear leaf litter to control mosquito population

SINGAPORE — To keep the number of mosquitoes in check during the current dry spell, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has stepped up its cleaning efforts to clear leaf litter — a potential breeding ground for the insects.

Follow TODAY on WhatsApp

SINGAPORE — To keep the number of mosquitoes in check during the current dry spell, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has stepped up its cleaning efforts to clear leaf litter — a potential breeding ground for the insects.

The NEA yesterday said it had observed an increase in the number of Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes during the dry season, with the number of breeding sites detected rising from 30 in January to 250 in the middle of last month.

This species of mosquito is one of 80 types found in Singapore. Of the number, eight species — including the light to dark brown-coloured Culex quinquefasciatus — are potential disease-bearing vectors.

However, the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are the two disease-bearing species that are of concern in Singapore, as they are the primary vectors for dengue and chikungunya respectively. The rest, including the Culex quinquefasciatus, can potentially transmit diseases that are not actively transmitted in Singapore.

Said the NEA: “As the Culex mosquito tends to breed in outdoor areas, notably in stagnant water with a high organic content, the stepped-up efforts to clear leaf litter will help reduce potential breeding habitats.”

The agency, which is “closely monitoring the situation”, has stepped up the pace of cleaning in dengue clusters and residential areas where there has been a high amount of feedback on mosquitoes, such as in private estates with open drains.

The number of dengue cases has been on a decline in recent weeks, but there are 32 active clusters currently. The NEA said it is working with the PUB to step up monitoring efforts along drains in 108 locations.

Hot weather and a lack of water — conditions of the dry spell that Singapore is currently experiencing — have led to the heavy shedding and accumulation of leaves in some public areas, said the NEA.

Workers are now removing an average of 30 bags of leaf litter a day after sweeping the streets, up from 10 bags previously. Last month, 350 more tonnes of dry leaves were swept from the streets, filling up 70,000 bags.

“The increase in leaf litter has resulted in a longer time needed to clean the same stretch of road, pavement or drain. Repeated leaf fall after the scheduled cleaning rounds has also contributed to the perception of incomplete or inadequate cleaning,” said the NEA.

Additional cleaning has been arranged in 71 locations, such as Pasir Ris Drive 3 — in addition to regular cleaning schedules — to prevent the build-up of leaf litter.

“Town councils and land agencies are also increasing their drain-cleaning frequencies to prevent the build-up of leaf litter,” said the NEA.

Woo Sian Boon

Read more of the latest in

Advertisement

Advertisement

Stay in the know. Anytime. Anywhere.

Subscribe to get daily news updates, insights and must reads delivered straight to your inbox.

By clicking subscribe, I agree for my personal data to be used to send me TODAY newsletters, promotional offers and for research and analysis.