Singapore's Dengue Outbreak Doubles 2023

According to the World Health Organization, Dengue is endemic in over 100 countries in 2024, including the Republic of Singapore.  

Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA) today announced it launched the National Dengue Prevention Campaign 2024 ahead of the traditional peak dengue season, which is from May to October.

Over 5,000 dengue cases were reported in the first quarter of 2024, more than double the 2,360 cases reported in the same period in 2023.

As of March 2024, seven dengue deaths due to local dengue infection have been notified in Singapore.

On March 31, 2024, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and the Environment, Mr. Baey Yam Keng, urged collective responsibility and action to fight dengue amidst the ongoing dengue situation.

The Aedes aegypti mosquito population has also remained high, with the number of breeding habitats found at residential premises in January 2024 double that of January 2023.

Our population in Singapore also has low immunity to all four Dengue virus serotypes. The continued presence of all these dengue risk factors may lead to a surge in dengue cases in the coming months if insufficient action is taken, commented Mr. Baey Yam Keng.

NEA will also continue to combat dengue with Project Wolbachia. Regular genetically modified mosquito releases could help mitigate dengue outbreaks, complementing local community efforts to prevent mosquito breeding.

To alert international travelers, the U.S. CDC issued a Travel Health Notice regarding dengue outbreaks in the Asia/Pacific Islands (February 9, 2024). 

Dengue is a mosquito-transmitted disease that can be prevented with a U.S. FDA vaccine.