Singapore’s dengue case tally in 2023 stood at 9,949, which was far lower than the 32,173 cases recorded in 2022. - ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): Dengue case numbers in 2024 have crossed the 10,000 mark, surpassing the number of cases logged for the whole of 2023.
According to latest figures by the National Environment Agency (NEA), there were 267 dengue cases between July 14 and July 22, and that took the total number of local infections this year to 10,141.
The dengue case tally in 2023 stood at 9,949, which was far lower than the 32,173 cases recorded in 2022.
In March, NEA warned of a surge in dengue infections after numbers shot up ahead of the traditional peak dengue season from May to October.
NEA at the time said the number could go up in the coming months, given the high Aedes aegypti mosquito population here and the low population immunity to dengue.
As at July 22, Singapore has recorded 70 active dengue clusters. They include 10 red-alert clusters, which are high-risk areas with 10 or more cases. The largest active cluster stands at 410 cases in a housing estate in Bukit Panjang, off Cashew Road.
It is followed by a cluster in Jurong West with 103 cases and another cluster in the Pioneer area, near Benoi Road, with 47 cases.
Infectious disease consultant Hsu Li Yang said Singapore is likely to be experiencing a dengue outbreak now, given that the number of cases significantly exceeds the average number of dengue cases detected in a year.
Dr Hsu, who is vice-dean of global health at the National University of Singapore Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, added: “This is still much lower than what we experienced in 2020, which broke the previous record number of cases in 2013.”
The Republic suffered its largest dengue outbreak in 2020, when there were 35,315 cases and 32 deaths. The spike then has been attributed to several factors, including warmer and humid conditions favouring the survival of mosquitoes, as well as people being bitten by dengue-carrying mosquitoes when they worked from home.
Residents, especially those living in dengue cluster areas, can guard against dengue by spraying insecticide in dark corners around the house, applying insect repellent regularly and wearing long-sleeved tops and long pants.
Worldwide, the presence of dengue has markedly increased over the past two decades, according to the World Health Organisation’s assessment in 2023.
Since the start of 2023, the spread of dengue has resulted in nearly a historic high of more than five million cases and more than 5,000 dengue-related deaths reported in more than 80 countries or territories. - The Straits Times/ANN
