Weekly dengue case numbers are 80 per cent down on their peak in May and "under control", but the total so far in 2022 is still 30,969, almost six times the figure for last year, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said on Monday (Dec 5).

In a media statement, NEA called for continued vigilance by householders to prevent a year-end spike, while noting that the 2022 total, as of Dec 2, was 90 per cent of the total in 2020. That year, Singapore reported a record number of dengue cases.

The agency stated that despite the reduction since May, the current weekly case number of between 200 and 300 is "still high for this time of the year".

It added that the current weekly number is about 20 per cent more than the average number of cases reported for the same period in the preceding three years (2019 to 2021).

Given the year-end holiday season, NEA urged members of the public to mosquito-proof their homes before they travel and stay vigilant against the dengue threat.

A rise in the high number of dengue cases this time of year could result in Singapore entering 2023 with an "atypically large number of dengue cases", it added.

“We urge vigilance and for everyone to remove stagnant water and maintain good housekeeping to deprive mosquitoes of potential breeding habitats.”

NEARLY ALL DENGUE CLUSTERS CLOSED

NEA said that about 97 per cent of the dengue clusters — 2,959 of 3,028 — reported since the start of the year have either been closed or are no longer active.

There are still 69 dengue clusters remaining, with clusters containing a relatively fast rate of dengue transmission continuing to surface — such as the 37-case cluster along Pasir Ris Street 71 and 19-case cluster on Jurong East Avenue 1.

“Most mosquito breeding habitats at these dengue clusters were found within residential premises,” NEA said.

It added that it continues to work closely with grassroots advisers and community volunteers to reach out to and advise residents on dengue prevention efforts.

POOR HOUSEKEEPING

NEA conducted about 841,000 dengue inspections islandwide, including about 5,200 checks at construction sites from January to November this year. From these inspections, about 21,300 Aedes mosquito breeding habitats were uncovered.

NEA issued fines to 3,500 households in relation to mosquito breeding during the same period.

Since the introduction of heavier penalties for errant households in mid-2020, NEA has detected many cases of mosquito breeding in 1,470 of the residential premises inspected, and repeated mosquito breeding in about 1,890 of the residential premises inspected.

NEA also issued 119 stop-work orders to construction sites and charged 61 contractors in court for poor housekeeping and for allowing mosquito breeding to occur.

Separately, 16 contractors have been issued with repeated stop-work orders due to poor upkeep of the sites.

HOW TO MOSQUITO-PROOF YOUR HOMES BEFORE GOING ON VACATION

NEA has appealed to the public to maintain good housekeeping and ensure that essential control measures are undertaken for premises under their responsibility.

It said that residents, especially those residing in dengue cluster areas, should do their part and carry out the following "S-A-W" protective actions:

Spray insecticide in dark corners around the house

Apply insect repellent regularly

Wear long-sleeve tops and long pants

NEA also urged household residents to take the necessary precautions to suppress the Aedes mosquito population and break disease transmission, by regularly practising the following Mozzie Wipeout "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

Keep roof gutters clear and place BTI insecticide inside

The agency added that there is a higher tendency for water to remain stagnant on premises that are unused, so anyone planning to go away on vacation should take the following extra steps to prevent mosquito breeding:

Cover or seal all toilet bowls in their home, and seal off overflow pipes of flushing cisterns

Cover or seal all floor traps

Add BTI insecticide to places where mosquitoes could potentially breed, and to places where stagnant water cannot be removed

 Clear debris and blockages, and place BTI insecticide in roof gutters and drains within compounds

Turn over all water storage containers and wipe dry the rims

Ensure that flowerpots, plates and trays do not collect water, after watering plants

Ask a relative or close friend to check your home regularly for stagnant water, if you will be away for a long period of time

Leave your contact details with your neighbours, so that you can be easily reached if needed

Source:
courtesy of TODAY

by JANARTHANAN KRISHNASAMY

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