Singapore gripped by dengue epidemic

By Yusof Sulaiman l eTN Asia/Pacific

The announcement of a dengue outbreak in Singapore could jeopardize Singapore Tourism’s “Great Summer Sale Carnival” holiday season.

Just as the summer holiday season looms ahead, Singapore Tourism must be wishing the island nation is gripped by a “sale fever” instead of the announced dengue fever outbreak, which authorities declared has now reached epidemic level.

Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) announced the number of infections in a single week has hit “epidemic” level, reaching the 378 cases the Health Ministry has set as the level to declare an epidemic.

According to Associate Professor Leo Yee Sin, clinical director of the Communicable Disease Center in Singapore, the number of cases could rise further to peak by mid- August or September due to changes in the virus strain.

Singapore last reported a dengue outbreak in 2005 when 4,580 cases were reported. This year there has been a total of 2,868 reported cases to-date. "2007 may yet be the worst year on record."

Despite stepped-up anti-dengue measures by the NEA, the situation has been aggravated by warmer weather and rising rainfall which favors breeding conditions.

"There is no need for additional measures," said Satish Appoo from NEA. "If you remove the breeding, you remove the problem."

The outbreak is not unique to Singapore as many other Southeast Asian countries in the tropics are seeing the same rise in dengue cases. Each year a total of up to 100 million people are infected by dengue.

Characterized by joint pain, fever, nausea and a rash, there is no treatment for dengue fever, seen for centuries by travelers as the scourge of the tropics. Often, internal bleeding occurs in severe cases, leading to death.

Printable Version | published Jun 25, 2007

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