SINGAPORE : The overall dengue situation in Singapore has improved in recent weeks, but Parliamentary Secretary for Environment Amy Khor said the current number of weekly cases at just below 200 is still high.

Dr Khor said the cluster of dengue fever outbreak in Bukit Batok, which was for a while the worst affected area, would not have been so prolonged from July to September, if residents had been more vigilant.

She was responding to a question by MP Dr Lim Wee Kiak in Parliament on the dengue situation in Bukit Batok.

She cautioned that dengue is endemic in Singapore, and an outbreak can happen whether or not it is the peak season.

Dr Khor listed some of the "valuable" lessons from the Bukit Batok episode, and she urged residents and all stakeholders to "deny mosquitoes of the opportunity to breed".

She said: "It is critical that Town Councils take every measure to ensure proper maintenance and effective checks of common areas and structures under their charge to prevent creating conditions favourable for mosquito breeding. This is especially important for estates with ongoing dengue transmission.

"For example, at Bukit Batok, water ponding was found in pump rooms due to leaky water pipes and poor gradient of the floor. Breeding was also detected in water tanks as a result of damaged mosquito netting. Such lapses can be prevented by putting in place a robust maintenance and inspection regime.

"Residents and HDB shop owners can play a part by refraining from cluttering common corridors with potted plants and bulky items, placing items over scupper drains or concrete drain slabs outside their premises.

"Bad housekeeping not only gives rise to potential breeding habitats, but also hampers inspection by the NEA (National Environment Agency) or the Town Council." - CNA/ms