NEWS FLASH - Special team to look out for mosquito breeding sites at Bukit Batok

SINGAPORE :
A special team has been set up to look out for unconventional breeding sites at the Bukit Batok dengue cluster, Singapore's worst hit area.

The team will join a group of officers that is carrying out the fourth round of search and destroy operations at Bukit Batok St 31, 32 and 34.

They will leave no drain unchecked and no stone unturned until the cluster closes.

There is also a higher population of the Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes which are known to be more efficient transmitters of dengue as compared to the Aedes Albopictus.

Although dengue transmission has gone down in other parts of Singapore, the number of cases in the Bukit Batok hotspot remains high.

As of Friday September 28, there were 112 cases.

{ News extract dated 29 Sept 2007, Sat from Channel NewsAsia }

NEWS FLASH - 60-year-old woman is 8th person to die from dengue this year

SINGAPORE:
A 60-year-old woman is the eighth person in Singapore to die from dengue this year.

The housewife who lived in Jurong East developed fever and body ache on September 9.

{ News extract dated 18 Sept 2007, Tue from Channel NewsAsia }

NEWS FLASH - 203 dengue cases last week, 29 clusters reported across island

SINGAPORE:
The number of dengue cases reported in the 9-15 September week was 203, which is significantly lower than in previous months.

But there were still 29 clusters which have more than 10 cases each.

These hotspots were located across the island.

So the public is advised to remain vigilant to prevent the Aedes mosquito from breeding.

Bukit Batok remained the worst-hit, with 97 cases reported.

Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4 was also on the black list, with 13 cases.

{ News extract dated 17 Sept 2007, Mon from Channel NewsAsia }

NEWS FLASH - Town council continues efforts to keep dengue in check at Bukit Batok

SINGAPORE:
Despite a drop in the weekly number of dengue cases, the number of residents infected in certain parts of Bukit Batok has continued to rise.

Ninety-six cases have been reported in Bukit Batok Street 31, 32 and 34.

Ang Mong Seng, MP for Hong Kah GRC, and his grassroots leaders went on an anti-dengue sweep Sunday with National Environment Agency officers and pest busters, checking drains and combing potential breeding mosquito breeding grounds at Goodview Gardens Estate.

They wanted to stress to residents the need to get rid of all potential breeding sites in their homes.

"(With) mosquito breeding in the house, the first chance to bite is the family members, so this is a very important message to pass down to all the residents. They have to play their part to prevent such things from happening in their homes," said Mr Ang.

{ News extract dated 16 Sept 2007, Sun from Channel NewsAsia }

NEWS FLASH - Singapore, Cuba sign MOU to fight dengue

SINGAPORE:
Singapore's fight against dengue has moved up a notch.

It joined hands with Cuba - which has vast experience in dengue control - to collaborate on research in this area.

The two countries inked an agreement for the cooperation on Friday.

The Memorandum of Understanding will allow both countries to leverage on each other's expertise and experience in dengue control.

Prof Gustavo Kouri said:
"The conditions are very different, so you can study our experience and we can study your experience and exchange the information. It's evident that you have mosquitoes in the houses. You have very good system, you have very good regime, your water supply is good...(and yet you have) but the mosquito. You have a very high (population) density - one of the highest in the world, I think, in this small city of four million inhabitants. So, now we have to extrapolate or interchange our experiences."

Professor Leo Yee Sin, clinical director at Tan Tock Seng Hospital's Centre for Communicable Diseases, said:
"Cuba and Singapore experience mainly adult dengue... very different from this region where dengue is predominantly a children's disease."

"It's extremely important for us to understand the adult manifestation, how they reach the adults... which adult population tends to have more serious diseases, and of this, how to bring them into tertiary care and what would be the best treatment modalities for them. The ultimate goal is to reduce mortality."

Singapore has had seven deaths from dengue this year, five of whom were above 55 years old.

{ News extract dated 14 Sept 2007, Fri from Channel NewsAsia }

NEWS FLASH - Authorities to step up anti-dengue enforcement measures

SINGAPORE:
Authorities here will step up enforcement measures like imposing fines, if Singaporeans do not stop breeding mosquitoes in their homes.

Environment and Water Resources Minister, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, said this on Friday as Singapore and Cuba signed a Memorandum of Understanding to fight dengue.

Singaporeans, he said, are the weakest link in the fight against dengue and they need to change their attitude towards the disease.

"It is basically the role of Singaporeans, which we say is the weakest link. We have to change our behaviour. Look at the Bukit Batok cases. What is the most revealing about the incident is that you have indoor breeding. What it shows is that Singaporeans are becoming too relaxed. I think we have to change that entirely.......whether it's a cool month or a hot month, we have to be vigilant," Dr Yaacob said.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) says that 3,820 homes have been fined for breeding mosquitoes as at the end of August. Nine were repeat offenders.

{ News extract dated 14 Sept 2007, Fri from Channel NewsAsia }

NEWS FLASH - 53-year-old woman dies from dengue, 7th death this year

SINGAPORE :
Another Singaporean has died from dengue, the seventh death this year.

The 53-year-old Chinese woman, who lived in Bedok Reservoir Road, came down with fever, body ache, lethargy and rash on September 2.

The health ministry has advised the public to seek medical attention immediately if they feel unwell and have a fever.

If they are diagnosed with dengue, they should follow the doctor's advice and make sure they rest and drink lots of water to prevent dehydration.

Suspect or confirmed dengue patients should protect themselves and their family members from mosquito bites by using mosquito repellent, coils, mats or nets.

They can also wear protective clothing which will help protect their families from contracting the disease and break the chain of transmission.

{ News extract dated 11 Sept 2007, Tue from Channel NewsAsia }