Dengue is fast emerging pandemic-prone viral disease in many parts of the world. Dengue flourishes in urban poor areas, suburbs and the countryside but also affects more affluent neighbourhoods in tropical and subtropical countries.
Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection causing a severe flu-like illness and, sometimes causing a potentially lethal complication called severe dengue. The incidence of dengue has increased 30-fold over the last 50 years. Up to 50-100 million infections are now estimated to occur annually in over 100 endemic countries, putting almost half of the world’s population at risk.
Severe dengue (previously known as dengue haemorrhagic fever) was first recognized in the 1950s during dengue epidemics in the Philippines and Thailand. Today it affects Asian and Latin American countries and has become a leading cause of hospitalization and death among children and adults in these regions.
According to the Department of Health (DOH), around 32,193 cases of dengue infection were documented between January and June this year.This is 3.89 percent higher than the 30,989 cases recorded in the same period last year. The National Capital Region had 7,670 cases, Central Luzon had 5,552 cases, and Calabarzon had 4,508 cases.
To prevent the spread of dengue fever, you must first prevent the breeding of its vector, the Aedes mosquito. The Aedes mosquito is easily identifiable by its distinctive black and white stripes on their body. It prefers to breed in clean, stagnant water easily found in our homes. You can get rid of the Aedes mosquito by frequently checking and removing stagnant water in your premises.
Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection causing a severe flu-like illness and, sometimes causing a potentially lethal complication called severe dengue. The incidence of dengue has increased 30-fold over the last 50 years. Up to 50-100 million infections are now estimated to occur annually in over 100 endemic countries, putting almost half of the world’s population at risk.
Severe dengue (previously known as dengue haemorrhagic fever) was first recognized in the 1950s during dengue epidemics in the Philippines and Thailand. Today it affects Asian and Latin American countries and has become a leading cause of hospitalization and death among children and adults in these regions.
According to the Department of Health (DOH), around 32,193 cases of dengue infection were documented between January and June this year.This is 3.89 percent higher than the 30,989 cases recorded in the same period last year. The National Capital Region had 7,670 cases, Central Luzon had 5,552 cases, and Calabarzon had 4,508 cases.
To prevent the spread of dengue fever, you must first prevent the breeding of its vector, the Aedes mosquito. The Aedes mosquito is easily identifiable by its distinctive black and white stripes on their body. It prefers to breed in clean, stagnant water easily found in our homes. You can get rid of the Aedes mosquito by frequently checking and removing stagnant water in your premises.
The guidelines below will give you an overview of how you can prevent the Aedes mosquito from breeding.
At All Times
- Turn pails and watering cans over and store them under shelter.
- Remove water in plant pot plates. Clean and scrub the plate thoroughly to remove mosquito eggs. Avoid the use of plant pot plates, if possible.
- Loosen soil from potted plants to prevent the accumulation of stagnant water on the surface of the hardened soil.
- Do not block the flow of water in scupper drains along common corridors in HDB estates. Avoid placing potted plants and other paraphernalia over the scupper drains.
- Cover rarely used gully traps. Replace the gully trap with non-perforated ones and install anti-mosquito valves.
- Cover bamboo pole holders after use. Rainwater can potentially accumulate in these bamboo pole holders if they are uncovered and create a habitat.
- No tray or receptacles should be placed beneath and or/ on top of any air-conditioning unit so as not to create a condition favourable for mosquito breeding.
Every Other Day
- Change water in flower vases. Clean and scrub the inner sides of vases. Wash roots of flowers and plants thoroughly as mosquito eggs can stick to them easily.
Once A Week
- Clear fallen leaves and stagnant water in your scupper drains and garden. These leaves could collect water or cause blockages to the drains, thus resulting in the buildup of stagnant water.
- Clear any stagnant water in your air cooler unit.
Once A Month
- Add prescribed amounts of sand granular insecticide into vases, gully traps and roof gutters, even if they are dry.
- Clear away fallen leaves in roof gutters and apron drains. If structurally feasible, remove the roof gutters.
Source: nea.gov.sg
