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SINGAPORE : Nine new locally-transmitted chikungunya fever cases have been reported in Singapore.
This brings to 117 the total number of cases so far, which includes imported ones.
Of these, 54 were imported cases with history of travel to places like Johor, Malacca, Indonesia and Sri Lanka.
Three of the new cases were found at the Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre.
A 61-year-old man and his 32-year-old daughter who worked at the centre caught the chikungunya fever virus.
The father is still hospitalised while the daughter has been discharged.
They did not travel overseas prior to their illness.
After screening blood samples of 184 workers at the centre, authorities found another victim - a 44-year-old employee.
The other six cases of chikungunya fever were found at Kranji Way, Sungei Kadut, Queen Street, Segar Road and Jalan Berjaya.
Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan said: "(We've) been fighting mosquitoes for several decades now and I know these are very formidable enemies. They'll try to survive and I think there's no other way except just make sure our environmental hygiene is of very high standards."
He added: "It's a little bit like dengue several decades ago. If we did to dengue what we're doing to chikungunya today, we might have prevented dengue becoming permanent residents here.
"But once they're out there, then you try to eliminate every single case, it's tough...As Health Minister, I'm worried about so many other things. But worrying is one thing...(we should) try to do our best." - CNA/ms
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