Over 2,000 dengue cases have been reported in the first quarter of 2019, according to the National Environment Agency.
This is a more than three-fold increase from the approximately 600 dengue cases reported in the same period in 2018.
With the peak dengue season approaching, Mr. Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, made the call for a concerted effort to step up our mosquito and dengue prevention efforts. He was speaking at the main launch of the National Dengue Prevention Campaign 2019 at the North West District on Sunday, April 7.
NEA's Gravitrap surveillance system showed that the mosquito population remains high. In addition, our neighbouring countries have reported sharp increases in dengue cases in recent months. The warmer months of June to October usually see higher transmission of dengue in Singapore, due to the accelerated development of the Aedes mosquito and the shorter incubation period of the dengue virus.
NEA is thus expecting an increasing trend in dengue cases in the warmer months ahead, if active steps are not taken to keep the mosquito population in check.
The aedes mosquitoes have a short breeding cycle of seven days, NEA added. Therefore, keeping the mosquito population in check requires the effort of every individual in the community to eradicate mosquito breeding habitats.
Even clean and stagnant water in homes can be potential breeding habitats for mosquitoes. All it takes is a small amount of water the size of a 20-cent coin for mosquitoes to breed in, NEA said.