Singapore deploys new ‘purple dengue alert banner' 

Singapore: With dengue cases rising abruptly, people living in areas with persistently high Aedes aegypti mosquito population has been directed to remain vigilant with a new purple banner.   

As per details, colour coded banners — purple, yellow, red and green— are being employed by the National Environment Agency (NEA) as part of its Dengue Community Alert System. The banners complement existing vector control operations and community outreach efforts.

The aim of the banner is to rally the community to take positive actions to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes.

Since the start of 2022, nearly 3,000 dengue cases have been reported, NEA said on Wednesday.

This makes it faster than the rise in cases last year, where more than 2,000 dengue cases were reported only at the end of April 2021.

NEA said that there are three main reasons contributing to the surge.

First, there is a high Aedes aegypti mosquito population detected in the community, with the population of mosquitoes last month standing at 17 per cent higher compared to Feb 2021.

Secondly, the mosquitoes appear to be carrying the more uncommon DenV-3 serotype of dengue. Notably, less common strains, like DenV-3, would increase the risk of an outbreak.

Finally, NEA said more people are staying at home, which gives the day-biting mosquito more time to prey on them.

As per officials, warmer temperatures accelerate the development of the Aedes mosquito, and also causes the virus to replicate faster in the insects.