Singapore has just started monitoring its second wave of coronavirus. Now, she is on her way to face the worst outbreak of another viral infection: dengue.
More than 14,000 cases of dengue have been reported in the city-state since the beginning of the year, according to the National Environment Agency (NEA). The total number for the full year is expected to exceed 22,170 cases reported in 2013, the largest dengue outbreak in Singapore’s history, the agency said.
What is dengue? Dengue is a viral infection transmitted by the Aedes mosquito, the same insect responsible for spreading zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever. It is commonly found in warm and humid regions of the tropics and subtropics during the rainy months.
Only about 25% of those infected show symptoms, including high fever, severe headaches, muscle and joint pain. Extreme cases can bring bleeding, respiratory difficulties, organ failure and potentially death.
Why is it so bad this year? Dengue cases have grown dramatically worldwide, increasing 30-fold in the past 50 years. There are an estimated 100 to 400 million infections each year, and about half the world’s population is at risk, according to the World Health Organization.
Scientists say the warmer, wetter climate caused by climate change has created the ideal conditions for female mosquitoes to lay their eggs. Not only are there more mosquitoes, but the rapid urbanization occurring in many Asian nations means that susceptible populations live in closer contact with disease-carrying insects.
Have the closure measures worsened? Another potential factor aggravating the dengue outbreak this year could be the blocking measures imposed for the coronavirus, according to Luo Dahai, associate professor of Infection and Immunity at Nanyang University of Technology.
In April, a second wave of infections erupted in Singapore among migrant workers living in crowded dormitories, sending new infections daily from fewer than 100 to more than 1,000 at their peak.
To contain its spread, the government issued an order to stay home and closed non-essential workplaces and schools. These restrictive measures, known as “circuit breakers,” lasted from April 7 to June 1.
“When more people stay home every day, there could be more residential mosquito breeding and more opportunities for ‘blood meals,'” Luo said.
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