Dengue danger zones: 5 design features prone to breeding mozzies

SINGAPORE - Rubbish bins, flat roofs and spotlights may seem like regular, harmless fixtures in our working and living spaces, but they can silently harbour killers.

These are some areas that, because of their design, can turn into breeding grounds for Aedes aegypti, the mosquito which transmits dengue fever.

Earlier this month, dengue cases at Ferraria Park condominium in Loyang were traced to a design fault - heavy concrete paving slabs which allowed water to seep between them into hidden drains below, where mosquito larvae were found.

After visiting the condo, Second Minister for Environment and Water Resources Grace Fu said the authorities will detail and flag the construction sector design features that make maintenance hard and pose a danger as mosquito breeding places.

The Straits Times spoke to estate managers, pest control experts and town councils and came up with a list of five designs that are prone to breeding mosquitoes.

yeosamjo@sph.com.sg

Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.