A seven-member panel comprising local and international experts was formed in September last year to review the dengue situation, and recommend long-term and short-term strategies to curb the spread of dengue in Singapore.

The results of their findings showed that Singapore has the best dengue control programme in the world. However, because of the increase in the surge in dengue cases in the region, Singapore was not spared. Having a good mosquito control programme also turned out an ironic paradox – it was because of it that immunity among the general population (known as "herd immunity") was low.

What was alarming to find was that new strains of the dengue virus may have been introduced into Singapore with greater epidemic potential due to the increase in cases in Singapore.

As such, one of the key findings the panel emphasised as far as the community was concerned was the importance of community ownership. The community will always be the first defence in this fight against the Aedes mosquito. One such community effort that was encouraged was the neighborhood watch groups and grassroots organisations that helped in detecting breeding grounds for the Aedes mosquitoes.

The use of pesticides and mosquito nets in the home were also encouraged. Other measures that were suggested included cleaning blockages from roof gutters, clearing leaves and stagnant water from potted plants, avoiding the use of pot plates, changing the water in vases regularly and keeping the environment generally hygienic and litter-free.