Over 5,000 dengue cases and 7 deaths so far in 2024

Cases more than double from same period in 2023; campaign urges vigilance to cut risk

- Cheryl Tan

Those who have been infected with dengue are urged to protect themselves against mosquito bites to help curb the spread of the disease, as Singapore grapples with a surge of over 5,000 dengue cases in the first quarter of 2024 - more than double the number of cases in the same period in 2023.

As at March 25, seven people have died of dengue so far in 2024, said the National Environment Agency (NEA).

Ahead of the traditional peak dengue season of May to October, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and the Environment Baey Yam Keng launched the National Dengue Prevention Campaign 2024 in Bukit Batok on March 31. The campaign aims to get the community to stay vigilant and help reduce the risk of dengue infection.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Baey said: "Last year, 2023, was actually a good year... for dengue cases. We had about 9,900 cases. That was almost 70 per cent less than the previous outbreak year (in 2022). But what's worrying is that this year, we are seeing an increase in the number of cases." In 2023, the number of dengue cases stood at 9,949 - a 69 per cent drop from the 32,173 cases in 2022. There were six deaths in 2023, and 19 deaths in 2022.

Weekly reported dengue cases in 2024, on average, have been more than 300 from mid-February, although there was a slight dip to 222 cases for the week of March 24 to 28, according to NEA's website.