Sixty-Three-Year-Old Woman Passes Away from Dengue

1.    The Ministry of Health (MOH) and the National Environment Agency (NEA) have been notified of the death of a dengue patient at Changi General Hospital (CGH). MOH and NEA wish to express our deepest condolences to the family of the patient.

2.    The patient was a 63-year-old Singaporean Malay female who stayed at Bedok North Street 3. She was admitted to CGH on 9 March 2016. Her condition deteriorated and she passed away on 10 March 2016. 

3.    The patient’s residence at Bedok North Street 3 is not an active dengue cluster. Nonetheless, vector control operations to kill adult mosquitoes and destroy any potential breeding habitats are ongoing. Residents are urged to cooperate fully and allow NEA officers to inspect their premises for mosquito breeding and to spray insecticide to kill any infective mosquitoes.

4.    We urge all members of the public and stakeholders to stay vigilant and continue to work as a community to prevent dengue cases from rising. The number of dengue cases in 2016 may exceed 30,000 – higher than the record in 2013 when 22,170 cases were reported, unless immediate action is taken. The high number of dengue cases expected in 2016 is due to a number of contributing factors, including warmer temperatures, increase in the mosquito population and a change in the predominant circulating virus. With the threat of Zika virus present, it is even more critical to reduce the mosquito population through removing the source of mosquito breeding. If we can bring down the mosquito population, we will not only mitigate the dengue situation but at the same time, prevent the spread of Zika virus if it reaches Singapore.

5.    We encourage everyone to join in the collective effort to help stop the dengue transmission cycle by doing the 5-step Mozzie Wipeout. All stakeholders need to remove stagnant water from our environment, so as to deprive the mosquitoes of their breeding habitats. Inverting pails and plant pot plates, changing water in vases regularly, and capping bamboo pole holders when they are not in use are simple steps that everyone can take to prevent mosquitoes from establishing a foothold in our neighbourhoods.

6.    The latest updates on the dengue situation can be found at the Stop Dengue Now Facebook page, www.dengue.gov.sg or the myENV app. Persons infected with dengue should protect themselves from mosquito bites by applying repellent regularly, and those showing symptoms suggestive of dengue should see their General Practitioners early to be diagnosed.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH

NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT AGENCY

11 March 2016