Portal on mosquito diseases launched

AN ONLINE educational portal on mosquito-borne diseases was launched yesterday, to provide easy access to information on dengue fever and the Zika virus as well as how to prevent their spread.

Developed by global life-science company Bayer, the portal comes with interactive quizzes and a "virtual trainer" that guides users through the different components within the site.

Bayer said the Bayer Dengue Learning Lab, which will be made available to all schools within the South West District and can be accessed for free by the public, was designed to make learning fun.

It developed the portal with the National Environment Agency and South West Community Development Council (CDC).

At the launch at New Town Secondary School yesterday, South West District mayor Low Yen Ling reminded students and grassroots volunteers that everyone has a part to play in fighting dengue and Zika.

Earlier this month, Singapore reported its first imported Zika case, a 48-year-old resident of Watten Estate in Bukit Timah who had been in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The dengue virus also remains prevalent here, with more than 7,720 reported cases since the start of the year.

Ms Low said dengue cases tend to peak during the upcoming warmer months from June to October due to the accelerated breeding and maturation cycles of Aedes mosquitoes.

"As we enter the traditional peak season for dengue, it is all the more important for the community to stay vigilant and... (keep) our homes, gardens and community spaces mozzie-free."

samboh@sph.com.sg

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