Second dengue death in Singapore

Second dengue death in Singapore

1.        The Ministry of Health (MOH) and the National Environment Agency (NEA) have been notified of the death of a dengue patient who lived at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3. This is the second dengue death case this year.

2.       The patient was a 60-year-old Singaporean Chinese male. He went to Tan Tock Seng (TTSH) emergency department (ED) on 5 June 2013 with fever, shortness of breath, vomiting and rash on his left leg. He was diagnosed with skin inflammation of the left leg and prescribed with antibiotics. He was also given an appointment to return to the polyclinic for a repeat blood test.

3.         The patient returned to TTSH ED on 7 June 2013 with difficulty in standing due to weakness in his left leg, as well as continuing fever and loss of appetite. He was admitted to the general ward and tested positive for dengue on 8 June 2013. Subsequently, his condition deteriorated and he was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit on 8 June 2013. The patient passed away on 9 June 2013.

4.       NEA has stepped up its vector control operations to destroy any potential breeding sites at the vicinity of the case’s residence (Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3). Residents should cooperate fully with the NEA inspectors conducting ground operations. Although it is a non-cluster area, residents should remain vigilant and protect themselves with repellent and clear any stagnant water in their homes and vicinity.

5.       MOH and NEA wish to express our deepest condolences to the family of the deceased patient. We strongly encourage all Singaporeans to take appropriate precautions to prevent mosquito breeding by doing the Mozzie Wipeout weekly. More details on this can be found at www.dengue.gov.sg. Everyone needs to play their part and be socially responsible to stop the chain of transmission in the community. Persons who suspect they may have dengue should consult their doctors as early as possible and use mosquito repellents in order to reduce the risk of spreading the infection further.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH
NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT AGENCY

9 JUNE 2013

For media queries, please contact:

Ms Poon Jing Ting
Assistant Manager, Media Relations
Ministry of Health
Email: poon_jing_ting@moh.gov.sg
DID: 6325 1346 / Mobile: 9797 2032

Ms Amalina Zulkefli
Senior Executive, Corporate Communications
National Environment Agency
Email: Nur_Amalina@nea.gov.sg
DID: 6731 9867 / Mobile: 9797 6315