Weekly dengue cases in Singapore jump to a new three-year high

SINGAPORE — A total of 468 dengue cases were reported in Singapore in the week ending June 15 — the highest weekly figure since March 2016, based on the latest figures from the National Environment Agency (NEA).

The weekly numbers of the potentially deadly mosquito-borne condition have more than quadrupled in the past three months, the NEA said, in an update on its website. 

Since the week ending June 1, the weekly numbers have persistently exceeded the previous peak in March 2016. 

In another sign of the growing problem, the NEA also said that as of Monday, the number of active dengue clusters across the island had more than doubled from a month earlier to 112.

As of June 15, there were a total of 5,185 dengue cases so far this year. On May 30, Singapore saw its fourth dengue death in 2019, when a 63-year-old man died from the disease. However, authorities pointed out that the man’s residence at Hougang Avenue 1 is not an active dengue cluster.

The three other people who died from dengue this year – two men and a woman – were in their 70s.

The agency said the population of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which carries the dengue infection, is persistently high and this increases the risk of transmission of the dengue virus.

"The gravitrap surveillance system deployed by NEA has shown a 25 per cent increase in the Aedes aegypti mosquito population in April 2019, compared to the month before."

Rising numbers of dengue cases coincide with the start of the warmer months from June to October, where the country usually experience a higher number of dengue cases, the NEA said previously.

WHERE ARE THE HIGH RISK DENGUE CLUSTERS?

In total, there are 31 high risk dengue clusters, that is, areas with 10 or more cases. They include housing estates at Woodlands Avenue 6, Chai Chee Avenue, Aljunied Road and Jurong East Avenue 1.

For the complete list of high risk dengue clusters, visit the NEA website.