Additional case of suspected local malaria transmission(1)

23 Jun 2009

1. One more case of vivax malaria has been confirmed and added to the malaria cluster at Sungei Kadut/Mandai Estate. The case is a 24-year-old foreign construction worker who stays at Sungei Kadut St 2. He has no fixed worksite and no recent travel history outside of Singapore. His illness onset date was on 11 Jun 09. This brings the total number of cases in the cluster to 14. 12 of the cases are foreigners while 2 of the cases are Singaporeans comprising one full-time national serviceman and one general worker.

2. There are no new cases at Jurong Island and the total number of cases in this cluster remains at 7. The cases are all male foreigners aged 25 to 46. The onset dates of the cases in this cluster ranged from 3 May to 10 June 09. 

3. The NEA is continuing with intensive vector control operations in the vicinity of Sungei Kadut/Mandai Estate. The dormitory operators also continue to do larviciding of potential mosquito breeding habitats, chemical fogging and residual spraying.  Workers housed in the dormitories are provided with mosquito netting and mosquito repellant. NEA also continues with adult light trapping to monitor the mosquito population in the said areas. On the ground, the number of adult mosquitoes trapped has continued to decline, from 137 caught within the first week of operations to 18 recently,  indicating the effectiveness of ground vector control operations.

4. MOH is monitoring the situation closely and will update the public on any new developments.

MOH's advice to the public

5. Malaria, like dengue fever, is a mosquito-borne disease and the best way to prevent malaria is to take precautionary measures against mosquitoes and prevent their breeding. Persons diagnosed with malaria should be isolated from further mosquito bites so as to reduce the risk of further transmission of the disease.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH

NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT AGENCY