The weekly number of dengue cases in Singapore has reached a record high, with 895 infections reported in just 51/2 days - surpassing the 891 infections reported for one week in 2014.
The country, which is now in its peak dengue season, has seen a surge in cases this year. More than 10,700 people have been infected, and at least 12 have died.
Singapore's worst dengue outbreak happened between 2013 and 2014, when more than 40,000 people were infected and 14 died of the disease, which can cause very high fever, severe headache and joint and muscle pain.
Ahead of the traditional peak dengue season between June and October, Singapore has already seen twice as many infections compared with the same period last year. This has been due to the rise of a less common dengue serotype, as well as warmer temperatures and more rain, causing the population of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which transmits dengue, to increase.
Between January and April, there were 300 to 400 new cases each week. Last month, the number of new weekly cases began to increase sharply.
The National Environment Agency (NEA) has suggested that the Covid-19 circuit breaker period, which came into force in April, could have contributed to the spike.
In a report early this month, it noted that the Aedes aegypti mosquito dwells mainly in indoor spaces and tends to bite during the day. With more people working from home, there would be more "blood meals" for the female mosquitoes.
During the two-month circuit breaker, NEA saw a five-fold increase in the incidence of Aedes mosquito larvae detected in homes and common corridors in residential areas, compared with during the past two months. At construction sites, it saw a two-fold increase in the incidence of Aedes mosquito larvae.
The figure of 895 new cases applies only to the period between last Sunday and 3pm on Friday, meaning the tally for the entire week - after the latest figures come in - is likely to be higher.
It might not be long before the weekly record is broken again.
Associate Professor Alex Cook, an epidemiologist at NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, told The Straits Times last week that if the "regular seasonal trend" of having more dengue cases in the second quarter of the year is maintained, he would not be surprised to see more than 1,000 cases a week soon.
There are 210 active dengue clusters in Singapore, including 66 high-risk areas with at least 10 cases. The two biggest ones, with 207 and 142 dengue cases, are in Potong Pasir.
