Travelling during the June holidays? Here's how you can mosquito-proof your home

SINGAPORE: The National Environment Agency (NEA) has detailed a series of measures that people travelling during the June holidays can take to mosquito-proof their homes and help stop the spread of dengue. 

The measures were outlined by NEA on its website, as it again called for all individuals and premises owners to take "urgent action" to fight dengue.

Between May 29 and Jun 4, 1,461 dengue cases were reported, 108 cases fewer than in the previous week, the latest figures on NEA's website showed on Tuesday (Jun 7).

June is the beginning of the traditional peak dengue season, and the number of weekly cases may exceed 2,000 during the month, surpassing the highest weekly figure of 1,787 cases seen in 2020, said the agency.

As of Jun 4, more than 13,000 dengue cases have been reported this year - more than double the 5,258 cases recorded in the whole of last year. The yearly record is 35,315 cases in 2020.

Last week, the NEA warned that Singapore was in a “serious dengue situation”, with the weekly numbers rising sharply.

A majority of mosquito breeding sites are in residential areas, with a smaller proportion in common areas, followed by construction sites.

As of Jun 6, there are 408 active dengue clusters, with 122 areas considered high risk with 10 or more cases. The dengue virus serotype 3 (DENV-3) has been detected at most of the red colour alert clusters.

The high Aedes aegypti mosquito population, together with circulation of the previously uncommon DENV-3, will lead to a further surge in dengue cases in the coming months, said NEA.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Those planning to go on vacation during the June school holidays should carry out prevention measures before they travel, NEA said.

They should also ask a relative or close friend to check on their home regularly for stagnant water if they are going away for a long period of time.