Over 10,000 dengue cases so far this year, more than total for 2023

SINGAPORE: More than 10,000 cases of dengue have been reported so far this year, exceeding the total number recorded in the whole of 2023.

The threshold was crossed in the week of Jul 14 to Jul 20, when 236 cases were reported, according to records kept by the National Environment Agency (NEA). 

As of Tuesday (Jul 22), the total number of reported dengue cases stood at 10,141 for 2024.

The annual figure for 2023 was 9,949, a sharp drop from the 32,173 cases in 2022.

NEA had already warned in March this year of an increase in dengue infections, with over 5,000 cases reported in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.

The agency's latest update (as of Jul 22) showed that there are 70 active dengue clusters in Singapore. Ten are considered red-alert clusters, which indicate high-risk areas with 10 or more cases each.

One such area is in Jurong West (Avenue 1, Avenue 2, Street 42) with 103 cases since the start of the cluster. NEA also noted persistent transmission at the 410-case Gangsa Road cluster and 47-case Benoi Road cluster.

There are four dengue virus serotypes circulating in Singapore. Dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV-2) has been predominant since September 2023, with prior periodic dominance of DENV-1 and DENV-3 in 2023. 

"Our population’s immunity to all four dengue virus serotypes remains low," said NEA.

"The continued presence of all these dengue risk factors may lead to a surge in dengue cases in the coming months, if insufficient action is taken.

It added that there are nine isolated Zika cases reported so far in 2024, with no clusters to date. Similar to dengue, Zika is a virus infection that is spread by the Aedes mosquito.