April 2013

I’ll admit that when I came across the article in the Straits Times on the record number of dengue cases this year, the first thought that came to mind was that it must have been caused by all the construction sites in the vicinity. And possibly the weird dude in my estate who mumbles to himself and keeps like 25 cats in his flat. Or the aunty downstairs who has enough potted plants along her corridor to form a small forest.

Basically anyone else but me.

According to the latest report from NEA, there have already been 515 cases in week 16, 5 times more than the same time period in 2010-2012.

I also found out that we are staying in one of the identified dengue cluster hotspots, eek! With 3 young kids in the house, I dare say that I’m more than a little concerned.

I told the husband about it and he told me about the time he got dengue fever as a teen. It was a terribly harrowing time for his family because his platelet count got dangerously low to the extent that it became life threatening and he had to be hospitalized for 3 days.

Honestly, I don’t know what I’d do if any of the kids got it so let’s just say that I’ll do whatever it takes to reduce the chances of that happening.

In line with the recent spike in dengue cases, NEA has increased efforts to reduce potential breeding habitats in the dengue clusters and in addition to that, they’ve also launched the 5-Step Mozzie Wipeout campaign, which encourages all of us to do our part to reduce mosquito breeding in our homes. I know the instinctive reaction is to think that we can’t possibly be breeding Aedes mosquitoes in our homes but the statistic for this is actually alarming – homes make up 67 per cent of the breeding habitats detected so while we all like to think that it’s the fault of the construction site down the road, it’s more likely that the mosquitoes found themselves a nice home in one of ours.

At this point, you’re probably asking, “what can I do?”

Ah, just the question I was hoping for.

We can all start by learning the 5-Step Mozzie Wipeout, which takes like 2 minutes and can be done once a week.

• Change water in vases/bowls on alternate days
• Turn over all water storage containers
• Remove water from flower pot plates on alternate days
• Clear blockages and put BTI insecticide in roof gutters monthly
• Cover bamboo pole holders when not in use

These are all really simple steps that can go a long way in keeping our families and each other safe. The key is to remember to do it regularly, especially as we head into the dengue peak season.

In addition, go like the Stop Dengue Now Facebook page for community updates and dengue survivor experiences and follow @NEAsg on twitter for live updates. More information can also be found at the website here.

Finally, NEA’s anti-Dengue campaign “Do the Mozzie Wipeout” will be launched simultaneously on 28 April at several locations – Mayflower Mall, Senja-Cashew CC, Choa Chu Kang CC and Nee Soon South Khatib Plaza. Head by to find out more if you’re in the area.

And if you haven’t seen this hilarious clip by mrbrown, you really should. It’s old but gold.