What to know about dengue fever

Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne viral disease that is a concern in Singapore. Diseases like Dengue and Zika are transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are difficult to combat. They can bite you without you noticing them because of their special stealth mode landing and take-off manoeuvres. When you notice the itchy bumps it is already too late.

Get answers to your frequently asked questions on dengue fever in Singapore. Learn new ways to prevent mosquito breeding at home or at the workplace with Rentokil experts in pest control.

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  What is dengue fever?

  It is a mosquito-borne disease caused by the dengue virus.

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  How is dengue transmitted?

  Dengue fever is transmitted through the bite of an infected female Aedes mosquito. When the mosquito takes the blood of an infected person, it becomes infected. After 8 to 12 days, it becomes infective for the rest of its lifespan and is able to transmit the virus through its bite. Dengue fever is not contagious from person to person.

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  What are the symptoms of dengue fever?

  Symptoms usually begin 3 to 14 days after infection. These include high fever, vomiting, severe headache, skin rash, muscle and joint pains.

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  What are the risks of dengue?

  Dengue fever may progress to severe dengue which can be deadly. The symptoms include

  • Severe bleeding of gums, nose, internal organs
  • Plasma leakage with symptoms including abdominal pain and continual vomiting

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  Treatment for dengue fever

  There is no specific medication to treat dengue fever. Treatments are supportive. In severe cases, emergency treatment including fluid replacement and blood transfusions may be provided.

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  Serotypes of dengue fever

  There are 4 serotypes of dengue virus, DENV1 to DENV4.

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  Peak season for dengue fever

  Dengue is most prevalent during the rainy season in tropical countries. June to October is the peak season for dengue fever in Singapore as the warmer climate provides an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes.

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  How do mosquitoes breed?

  The Aedes mosquito tend to breed in clean, stagnant water.

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  How fast does Aedes mosquito breeds?

  Under optimal conditions, it takes less than a day for an egg to hatch into a larva. Thereafter, it takes around 4 days for the larva to develop into a pupa. The final stage of the breeding is when an adult mosquito emerges from a larva and this process takes around 2 days to complete.

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  Dengue hotspots in Singapore

  A dengue cluster is formed when there are two or more reported cases of dengue fever which

  • Are located within 150m of each other
  • Have onset within 14 days of each other

  There are 3 alert levels which the clusters are grouped into

  • Red: High-risk area with 10 or more cases
  • Yellow: High-risk area with less than 10 cases
  • Green: No new cases, under surveillance for the next 21 days

  Monitor the National Environment Agency website for the latest updates on dengue clusters in Singapore.

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  When are mosquitoes active?

  Mosquitoes are most active during day time. However, they do bite at night if they are unable to feed in the day.

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  Where do Aedes mosquitoes breed?

  The female Aedes mosquito will look for the best spot for her larvae to develop. Ideal breeding sites for these mosquitoes can be as small as a 20 cents-sized drop of water. Aedes mosquito larvae are often found in stagnant water in flower pots, small plastic containers, drains, discarded tyres and roof gutters. These breeding places can be found anywhere and are challenging to treat. The Aedes female spreads its risks when selecting ideal breeding sites for her offspring as it will lay a few eggs in many different water containers.

Mosquito breeding can happen anywhere - indoor and outdoor. Imagine waking up in the middle of the night with a mosquito bite. Not only does it cause annoyance and put yourself at risk of dengue, but also indicates a possible mosquito breeding at home. While it is impossible to carry out mosquito fogging within your home, indoor mosquito control is a critical factor in reducing their population and winning the fight against Dengue.

The Mosclean indoor mosquito trap utilises efficient UV LED light to attract mosquitoes into the trap. It is an environmentally-friendly way to control adult mosquitoes without the use of gas and chemicals. The trap includes a container to exhaust inlet air to dehydrate trapped mosquitoes and a strainer to avoid insects larger than mosquitoes such as moths.

To learn more about implementing the Mosclean indoor mosquito trap at home or in your workplace, contact Rentokil at +6563478138.

In2Care is a mosquito trap innovation targeting 2 life stages of the mosquito. Adult mosquitoes are lured to deposit eggs in the trap. The eggs hatch into larvae and the larvae gets eliminated when turned into pupae.

Mosquitoes which get into the trap’s contact will also carry active ingredients with them, which eventually eliminate them in 7 to 14 days. Before that, the mosquitoes also go around looking for new sites and they can contaminate and eliminate the larvae within these new breeding grounds.

Call (65) 6347-8138 to speak with a Rentokil pest control expert to find out more.