More dengue patients seen at emergency departments but load is manageable: MOH
More dengue patients have been seeking treatment at hospital emergency departments in recent weeks, given the current surge in cases of the disease, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Friday (June 3).
They make up about 2 per cent of total attendances and admissions at emergency departments, but are at a "manageable level", it added.
Singapore has had some 12,000 dengue cases so far this year. Some 10 per cent of them required hospitalisation.
In comparison, between 12 per cent and 22 per cent of dengue patients over the past three years were hospitalised, MOH said.
"MOH will continue to closely monitor the proportion of hospitalised cases and its impact on the healthcare system," a ministry spokesman said in response to queries from The Straits Times.
There are more than 400 active dengue clusters in Singapore, the largest of which is located near Beauty World MRT Station, with 472 cases.
A cluster refers to at least two cases reported within 150m of each other over a two-week period.
Most infections belong to the DenV-3 serotype, which is less commonly seen here. There are four strains of the dengue virus.
The National Environment Agency said on Friday that weekly case numbers could exceed 2,000 this month, surpassing the previous weekly high of 1,787 in 2020.
Dengue cases tend to peak between June and August, after which the number of cases declines as the weather gets cooler.
MOH said people who have dengue symptoms should see a general practitioner immediately.
Most cases can be managed effectively by primary care doctors, and do not require hospitalisation or intensive care, it added.
However, some people may develop severe dengue, which can result in death.
Those who want to get the dengue vaccine, known as Dengvaxia, should consult their doctor first.
It is approved in Singapore for people aged between 12 and 45, but is not suitable for people who have not been previously infected with dengue.
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