Dengue fever has spread to Singapore, with the number of cases already more than doubling that of the entire year 2021. The peak dengue season in the city-state normally begins on June 1. According to a representative for Singapore’s Ministry of Health, the country has around 11,670 cases as of May 28 this year. There were only 5,258 dengue cases throughout the entire year of 2021.
Dengue fever causes high fevers, severe headaches, and muscular and body pains. It can cause bleeding, breathing difficulties, organ failure, and even death in severe situations. But it’s not just the painful and hazardous symptoms that make dengue so frightening. According to experts, the sickness is spreading as more countries experience prolonged hot weather and thunderstorms.
According to the Meteorological Service of Singapore, the country is heating up twice as rapidly as the rest of the world. In May, temperatures reached a record high of 36.7 degrees Celsius.
In 2020, Singapore saw its worst dengue outbreak, with 35,315 illnesses and 28 deaths. According to the Ministry of Health, there has only been one dengue-related death this year, although 10% of cases have required hospitalisation. According to one doctor, Clarence Yeo Sze Kin, there could be a record number of cases this year.
Dengue fever has also afflicted other Southeast Asian countries. In the first month of 2022, 193 persons in Thailand were afflicted with the disease. One sick person was 37 years old, while the other was 40. According to Thai health officials, with the coronavirus on the decline, Thailand should expect an increase in new cases this year.
