NEA urges public to mosquito-proof homes before going on year-end holidays

As the holiday season arrives, the National Environment Agency (NEA) is urging the public to stay vigilant against the dengue threat and mosquito-proof their homes before going on vacation.

The NEA said in a press release on Monday (Dec 5) that the current number of weekly cases ranges between 200 to 300, 20 per cent higher than the average number of cases for the same period in the past three years.

As of Dec 2, the total number of dengue cases reported in 2022 is 30,969, almost six times higher than that in 2021.

NEA has made efforts to close about 2,959 out of the reported 3,028 clusters since the start of the year. However, 69 clusters remain, and new clusters with relatively fast rates of transmission still continue to surface. These include the 37-case cluster at Pasir Ris and 19-case cluster at Jurong East Avenue 1. Most mosquito breeding habitats at these clusters were found within residential premises. 

According to NEA, a rise in the number of dengue cases at the end of the year could lead to large outbreaks in Singapore for the following year, as was the situation in 2019 and 2021.

To prevent such outbreaks from occurring, residents are urged to mosquito-proof their homes before going on vacation.

Residents can prevent mosquito breeding by covering all floor traps and toilet bowls in their home and sealing the overflow pipes of flushing cisterns.

Water storage containers must be turned over with their rims wiped dry, and residents should ensure that flowerpots, plates and trays do not collect water after watering their plants.

Other than clearing debris and blockages from roof gutters and drains, residents should add BTI insecticide to potential mosquito breeding sites and places where stagnant water cannot be removed. 

If they are planning to leave for a long period of time, they can ask a relative or friend to check their home regularly for stagnant water, and leave their contact details with a neighbour so they can be reached quickly if needed.

From January to November 2022, NEA also conducted 841,000 dengue inspections islandwide that include 5,200 checks at construction sites, leading the agency to uncover 21,300 Aedes mosquito breeding sites.

In the same period of time, 3,500 households were fined for mosquito breeding. A total of 119 construction sites found with mosquito breeding sites were also issued Stop Work Orders, with 61 contractors charged with poor housekeeping and mosquito breeding. Sixteen other contractors were also issued repeated Stop Work Orders due to poor upkeep of their construction sites.