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  Straits Times 29 Aug 07
Down to 242, dengue outbreak may have eased
Dip in weekly cases thanks to increased vigilance and cooler weather, but NEA warns season is not over yet
By Arti Mulchand

THE dengue outbreak seems to have let up somewhat, with overall figures staying slightly below warning levels in the past three weeks.

But the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which spreads the virus that causes the disease, continues to cause trouble in hotspots like Bukit Batok. There were 242 cases in all in the week ending Saturday, and 242 the week before as well. This is below the warning level of 256, and much lower than this year's record of 432 cases, reported in the first week of July.

Associate Professor Leo Yee Sin, clinical director of the Communicable Disease Centre credits the dip to stepped-up vigilance, as well as changing weather.

Cooler temperatures help to slow down dengue transmission because it is less conducive to breeding the female Aedes aegypti mosquito. It does not mature as fast as in hot weather.

This may mean fewer female mosquitoes are produced, explained the National Environment Agency (NEA). It may also mean the virus does not multiply as quickly in a mosquito's body. This would result a shorter infective lifespan.

Still, we may not be entirely out of the woods yet, the NEA warns, because the traditional dengue season is not over.

The NEA added that it will be certain the worst is over only if the downward trend continues into next month.

Prof Leo cautioned that in 2005 there was not one, but two peaks in the number of cases, and the dengue outbreak dragged on till December.

'I hope that does not happen... and it will go down and remain down,' she said, adding that for that to happen, the situation must be properly managed.

In at least 44 areas, dengue is still actively being transmitted. The situation appears worst in Bukit Batok, where there are more than 100 cases. A total of 25 breeding areas have been found and destroyed in the area, including in roof gutters, flower vases and other domestic containers.

The Woodlands streets 81, 82 and 83 cluster finally closed yesterday, with 67 cases.

There have been a total of 6,127 dengue cases in Singapore in the first 34 weeks of this year.

South-east Asia has reported more than 100,000 cases of dengue fever so far this year. Earlier this month, the World Health Organisation Regional Office for South-east Asia urged countries to try and get this 'man-made problem' under control.

Several countries have seen marked increases in the number of cases, including Indonesia, Myanmar and Thailand.
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