SINGAPORE: The National Environment Agency (NEA) has revealed worrying trends about dengue.

For the first four months of this year, the number of dengue hot spots has reached 96.

This is double what was recorded over the same period last year.

NEA is concerned about this and wants the public to do more to bring down the rising numbers.

In April, some 15,000 mosquito larvae were found in homes - a three-fold jump compared to about 4,600 found in February.

Some 400 homes were found to be fertile breeding grounds in April, more than twice the number recorded in February, when about 140 homes were identified as mosquito haven.

It is not even mid May and already, there are over 1,300 (1308) cases of those down with dengue (as of 5 May).

This is high, considering that the total number of cases reported for the whole of last year was about 3,120 - the lowest since 2004.

That year, the number of dengue cases was 9,459 while in 2005, some 14,209 cases were recorded. NEA added that the number of weekly cases is also going up.

Says Satish Appoo, Director, National Health Department, National Environment Agency, "Perhaps our success last year to keep the cases low could have lulled the residents into a sense of complacency but I think we should very quickly snap out of this slumber and get into action and make sure that there is no place in the homes for mosquitos to breed.

"What we would like residents and others to do is to take immediate action to reduce breeding in their homes."

So the NEA has started the second part of what it calls its "Intensified Source Reduction Exercise", where officers will target homes in 44 areas which are prone to outbreaks.

The first part of the exercise, which targets common areas outside HDB flats, showed an improvement in the number of breeding habitats found outside homes.

The NEA however has urged homeowners not to wait until its officers come knocking on their doors before they take action.

It says that home owners should remain vigilant at all times and get rid of stagnant water in common breeding areas such as flower pots and pails.

As at 8 May, 25 dengue clusters - places where there are active dengue transmissions - have been recorded.

The largest clusters are at Jalan Songket / Hougang St 21 with 19 cases reported so far, and Balestier Road / Martaban Road, with 9 cases. - CNA/yy