Man, 69, dies - fifth dengue fatality this year

A 69-year-old Singaporean man yesterday became the fifth person here to die of dengue fever this year.

The man, who lived in Chuan Terrace, was admitted to Mount Alvernia Hospital on Monday, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and National Environment Agency (NEA) said in a joint statement last night.

His condition deteriorated and he died subsequently.

MOH and NEA said the man was living in an active dengue cluster, and inspections found 20 counts of mosquito breeding in the area.

NEA has been running vector control operations to kill infective adult mosquitos and destroy potential breeding habitats. Thermal fogging has also been carried out in the cluster area.

MOH and NEA noted that even though the number of dengue cases had fallen over the past five weeks, residents should remain vigilant.

"Residents are encouraged to cooperate fully," their statement said. "Landed home owners are reminded to check their roof gutters, clear blockages and place Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (BTI) larvicide monthly. They should also clear the drains in their gardens of blockages, and place water-bearing receptacles under shelter."

NEA data shows 149 dengue cases were reported in the week ended Nov 22 - 10 cases fewer than in the previous week.

For the year to Nov 22, there were 17,240 cases.

Last year, during Singapore's worst dengue epidemic, 22,170 people were infected and seven died.

The latest updates on the situation can be found at the Stop Dengue Now Facebook page and www.dengue.gov.sg or through the myENV app.

MOH and NEA said people infected with dengue should protect themselves from further mosquito bites by applying repellent as regularly as possible.

Those showing dengue-like symptoms should see a doctor early to be diagnosed.

amirh@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Nov 28, 2014.
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