Tips on staying safe at home, preventing mosquito breeding

• Residents living within a dengue cluster zone, or a place with a high population of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes should install insect mesh screens at home while keeping their windows closed.

• Wear long sleeves and pants if they are not too uncomfortable, and frequently spray mosquito repellent on exposed skin.

• The elderly, children and those with diabetes and kidney disease are at risk of severe dengue. Those who have had dengue in the past can get dengue fever again and may be at risk of severe dengue. Make sure they are protected.

• Spray insecticide in dark corners around the house.

• Clear all spots and areas with stagnant water.

• Stay vigilant on days with hot weather after it rains, because that would accelerate the growth cycle of the Aedes mosquito.

• Use effective mosquito repellents. Those containing DEET, picaridin or IR3535 as the active ingredient are the most effective in repelling mosquitoes. They block the mosquitoes' sense of smell, preventing them from finding their prey.

• Clear small pools of water by flipping flowerpot plates, turning pails over and wiping their rims dry.

SOURCE: DR QUAH SOON WEE, DR LEE JOON LOONG, NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT AGENCY