dengue fever

Otterman posted about the prevalence of Dengue Fever in Singapore. According to NEA, the number of people infected with dengue fever, a mosquito-borne disease, soared last year in Singapore to the highest level in 10 years in line with the trend in Southeast Asia. In January alone, 1,145 people in Singapore came down with dengue fever.

My father and mother came down with Dengue over the Chinese New Year. Fortunately, it was not that serious for them. Both developed rashes without high fever and was just warded for two days for observation. My parents stay in Tampines flat which is a high risk area.

Even in our Punggol neighborhood, the NEA has been very responsive when I called to complain about mosquitoes. Their officers will check out our precinct for mosquito breeding and even called me to inform me about the situation. So, just pick up your phone call the NEA hotline: 1800-CALL-NEA.

I recalled similar outbreaks in Taiwan during my two years there. Kaohsiung in South Taiwan was similar facing a spike of Dengue cases. over there, the authorities deployed the usual methods of fogging, plus novel methods of releasing local fighting fishes (Betta sp.) into ponds and streams. But even then, it did not make a dent into the epidermic. The local mayor told the incredulous populace that perhaps they should just wait for the colder winter period to reduce the number of Dengue cases!!??