Don't Forget About Dengue

As Singapore battles to contain the coronavirus, people have let another viral disease slip from the radar: dengue. Arm yourself with this info!

- Sara Lyle Bow

After a five-week decline from mid-November to December 2019, the incidence of dengue infections began rising again – with the number of dengue cases increasing, and expected to continue increasing, according to the National Environment Agency (NEA).

Plus, there is another added headache in store: A new, less common strain, Dengue virus serotype 3 (DENV-3), is emerging. For the past 30 years, mosquito-transmitted viruses have typically switched between DENV-1 and DENV-2. However, DENV-3 has emerged in more clusters across the island over these past few months (as of March 2020).

Why is this of concern? A switch in the serotype – in this case, to DENV-3 – usually precedes an outbreak. “There are several reasons for this,” explains Dr. Maria Tang of International Medical Clinic (IMC) (www.imc-healthcare. com). “Fewer people have been infected with the DENV-3 virus, which results in lower herd immunity in the population and a higher rate of transmission.”

Here’s how you can protect your family: