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SINGAPORE: Singapore had seen a 26 per cent jump in dengue cases in the first nine weeks of this year, compared to the same period in 2008.
And authorities are taking a more concerted approach in the fight against the mosquito-borne disease, which can be fatal in its severest form.
According to the National Environment Agency (NEA), there were 1205 cases of dengue in Singapore since the beginning of the year, an increase of 253 cases on-year.
This is a 26 per cent increase, compared to the 952 cases registered in the same period last year.
The rising trend of dengue was also being seen across the Asia Pacific region.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said the Aedes mosquito, which transmits dengue fever, was spreading to areas that were once unaffected.
Coordinator, Communicable Diseases Control, WHO Southeast Asia Region, Chusak Prasittisuk, said: "The latest one (to be affected with dengue) was Nepal. Few years ago, Bhutan was also not reported (to be affected). Timor Leste, (although) not many cases were reported, but (there is an) increase now. I could say in general, the disease had spread to the new areas within the countries and also to new countries."
Recognising that dengue poses a serious public health threat, Singapore's NEA and the Foreign Affairs Ministry worked together to co-host the first Asia Pacific dengue workshop with the WHO.
Chief executive officer, NEA, Andrew Tan, said: "The long-term goal through a workshop like this and through future workshops is to develop a regional surveillance network that will allow us to share information, to share also the different genotypes of dengue and best practices not only from the laboratory, but also what's taking place in the field."
Sharing his expertise at the eight-day workshop on Tuesday was Professor Duane Gubler, who had spent 20 years carrying out field research on tropical diseases in Asia, the Pacific and the Caribbean.
Speaking on the global dengue situation, Dr Gubler said many challenges remain, especially with globalisation.
Director, Programme on Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Dr Gubler, said: "The principal drivers of the re-emergence or emergence of epidemic dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever are a combination of uncontrolled urbanisation and movement of viruses and vectors not necessarily in this region, but around the world by people in airplanes."
The workshop attracted 42 participants from the Western Pacific and Southeast Asia.
- CNA/yt
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