July 27--SINGAPORE -- The major dengue fever epidemic that Singaporean authorities have been trying to prevent may well happen -- and soon.
Three new large dengue clusters in Woodlands, Pasir Ris and Seletar emerged on Tuesday, bringing the total to six.
The number of mosquito breeding grounds found in homes has also doubled from 2005, the year Singapore had a major dengue outbreak with 14,000 people falling sick.
Last week, 227 people came down with dengue -- the highest weekly number in almost four years. It was also the third straight week that the number of cases has gone above the epidemic level. When the number of weekly cases hits 191 or more, it has breached an epidemic threshold that could trigger the rapid spread of infection.
Between Sunday and 2pm Tuesday, another 77 people were diagnosed with the disease.
Dengue epidemics tend to come every five to seven years, and it has been six years since the the last one. Even more worrying to experts is that each epidemic results in larger numbers of people getting infected. More than 5,000 people were infected in the epidemic in 1998. Seven years later, in 2005, 14,000 fell ill and 25 died.
A statement from the National Environment Agency (NEA) blamed residents who allow mosquitoes to breed in their homes for the increasing number of infections.
In the first half of this year, its officers found 6,011 breeding sites in homes, up from 2,741 for the same period in 2005.
This was despite the agency's massive campaign involving more than 400 roadshows and exhibitions, and the efforts of 7,000 grassroots volunteers who went door to door educating people on the dangers of dengue.
The NEA said the large number of breeding sites "is cause for concern" and urged people "to act against dengue to protect their families and neighbours".
Dengue, caused by bites from infected Aedes mosquitoes, has already taken three lives this year and made more than 3,000 people ill. Of these, more than 1,000 needed to be hospitalised, the Health Ministry said.
Among them was aviation auditor Jimmy Phuah, 50. He was undergoing chemotherapy in May for leukaemia, or cancer of the blood or bone marrow, when he came down with dengue.
He had a high fever of over 40 deg C and was vomiting. He was hospitalised at Singapore General Hospital for eight days. But his suffering was not over when he was discharged.
"My whole body was aching. I didn't want to get out of bed for the three weeks," he recalled. He could not even bend his arms or legs because his joints ached so badly. And he remained lethargic for weeks.
The father of four is worried that his children might get the painful disease, and ensures that there are no water-filled containers anywhere in his home.
Two of his neighbours along Lorong How Sun, off Bartley Road, were recently infected. He fears that mosquitoes might be breeding in construction sites nearby.
But according to the NEA, more mosquito breeding sites are found in homes, in places like vases, bamboo pole holders and flower pot plates, rather than in public areas or construction sites.
More than 5,700 people have each been fined S$200 (US$166) this year for having mosquito larvae in their homes.
NEA director-general Khoo Seow Poh urged people with dengue -- and even those who just suspect they might have the disease -- to protect themselves against mosquito bites by using an insect repellent.
He said: "This will help to prevent a chain of infection that puts their family and neighbours at risk."
The current spread of dengue appears to be rather rapid.
Right now, the biggest active dengue cluster is in Woodlands, where 27 people are infected. A big cluster has at least 10 people living within 150m of one another being infected with the disease within the past fortnight.
The NEA was told of the first two cases there last Friday. By Tuesday, the number of confirmed infections in that area had increased more than tenfold to 27.
NEA said its officers found 17 breeding sites in a dormitory there.
The agency has 1,000 people working full-time to stop the spread of mosquitoes. It spends S$70 million a year on these efforts.
-----
To see more of the Asia News Network, go to http://www.asianewsnet.net/home/
Copyright (c) 2011, The Straits Times, Singapore / Asia News Network
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com.