Seventy-Three-Year-Old Woman Passes Away from Dengue

The Ministry of Health (MOH) and the National Environment Agency (NEA) have been notified of the death of a dengue patient at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH). MOH and NEA wish to express our deepest condolences to the family of the patient.

2.         The patient was a 73-year-old Singaporean Chinese female who stayed at Poh Huat Road West. She was admitted to TTSH on 22 March 2016. Her condition deteriorated and she passed away today. 

3.         The patient had been staying in an area located within an active four case dengue cluster. Vector control operations to kill adult mosquitoes and destroy any potential breeding habitats have been ongoing since the notification of the cluster on 11 March 2016. NEA has conducted multiple rounds of inspections in residential premises and outdoor areas including common areas in the estate. Residents are urged to cooperate fully and allow NEA officers to inspect their premises for mosquito breeding and to spray insecticide to kill any infective mosquitoes.

4.         We urge all members of the public and stakeholders to stay vigilant and continue to work as a community to prevent dengue cases from rising. The number of weekly reported dengue cases is still high for this time of the year, and the majority of mosquito breeding is still being found in homes, such as in domestic containers, flower pot plates and trays. With the threat of Zika virus present, it is even more critical to reduce the mosquito population by removing the source of mosquito breeding. If we can bring down the mosquito population, we will not only mitigate the dengue situation but at the same time, prevent the spread of Zika virus if it reaches Singapore.

5.         We encourage everyone to join in the collective effort to help stop the dengue transmission cycle by doing the 5-step Mozzie Wipeout. All stakeholders need to remove stagnant water from our environment, so as to deprive the mosquitoes of their breeding habitats. Inverting pails and plant pot plates, changing water in vases regularly, and capping bamboo pole holders when they are not in use are simple steps that everyone can take to prevent mosquitoes from establishing a foothold in our neighbourhoods.

6.         The latest updates on the dengue situation can be found at the Stop Dengue Now Facebook page, www.dengue.gov.sg or the myENV app. Persons infected with dengue should protect themselves from mosquito bites by applying repellent regularly, and those showing symptoms suggestive of dengue should see their General Practitioners early to be diagnosed.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH

NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT AGENCY