Weekly dengue cases in Singapore exceed 300 for the first time this year
Reported dengue cases here have surpassed 300 weekly for the first time this year over the past two weeks.
In some weeks before that, the number of weekly reported cases was between 100 and 300.
There were 330 reported cases between Sept 10 and Sept 16, and 303 reported cases between Sept 17 and Sept 23, according to the National Environment Agency (NEA) website.
Between Sept 24 and Sept 26, there were 124 reported cases.
The latest cases bring the total number of dengue cases this year to more than 7,000.
As of June, there were two reported deaths this year due to local dengue infection, according to NEA’s quarterly dengue surveillance data.
More than 32,000 dengue cases were reported in 2022, according to NEA data. This is the second-highest number of cases in a year – the record high being more than 35,000 reported cases in 2020.
There are now 69 active dengue clusters, of which nine are in the red alert classification (a cluster with 10 or more cases), according to NEA data as of Sept 25.
Clusters in the red alert band include Toa Payoh Lorong 1A, Science Park Drive, Club Street and Lentor Loop.
According to the NEA website, “with the increase in proportion of the previously less prevalent dengue virus serotype 1 (DENV-1)”, Singapore may sustain a “high level of dengue transmission towards the end of the year”.
NEA’s website also stated that the rise in proportion of a previously less prevalent dengue virus serotype is of concern, as this has historically been associated with a surge in dengue cases months later.
It added that the warmer months from May to October usually have higher dengue transmission in Singapore, due to accelerated development of the Aedes mosquito vector and faster multiplication of the dengue virus in mosquitoes.
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