21 Stop Work Orders had been issued to construction sites and 10 contractors will be charged in court, for repeated mosquito breeding offences this year. Weekly dengue cases have dropped for five consecutive weeks, but dengue cases remain high and sustained efforts are needed to further bring down the number of cases.

Singapore, 16 September 2020 – As of 16 September 2020, there have been 29,206 reported dengue cases this year. There were 726 cases reported last week, a drop of 214 cases from the week before, and is the fifth consecutive week of decline in weekly number of dengue cases. While 726 weekly cases is also lower than the historic peak of 891 weekly cases in 2014, it is still a high weekly case number and remains higher than last year’s peak of 663 cases. As we are still in the midst of the traditional peak dengue season, community actions to carry out vector control measures, and individuals taking proactive steps to protect themselves against dengue, remain critical. In addition to working with Town Councils and key stakeholders from various Government agencies in the Inter-Agency Dengue Task Force (IADTF), the National Environment Agency (NEA) has also been working closely with the Singapore Contractors Association Ltd (SCAL), construction site management, community partners and residents, to step up dengue prevention and control efforts in construction sites. In the month of August, NEA detected about 55 per cent less Aedes mosquito breeding at construction sites than in July. However, dengue clusters with mosquito breeding detected at construction sites still remain, and intensive dengue prevention efforts at construction sites will continue.

Preventive surveillance and outreach efforts at construction sites  

2          Before the start of the Circuit Breaker period, construction site operators had been instructed to maintain a minimum workforce to perform housekeeping and facilitate pest control services within the sites. Since then, NEA has increased audits at construction sites and has reminded construction site management of the need to tackle mosquito breeding, through enhancing their housekeeping regime and ensuring that vector control measures are in place. NEA has been proritising audits at construction sites within dengue cluster areas and near to residential areas, and all 1,213 construction sites have been inspected at least once since the start of the Circuit Breaker period. NEA has also worked with agencies from the Inter-Agency Dengue Task Force, such as the Housing and Development Board (HDB) and Land Transport Authority (LTA), to ensure that regular inspections are carried out for their construction projects.

3          Through the concerted efforts of the Singapore Contractors Association Ltd (SCAL) and industry leaders, fewer construction sites have been found to have mosquito breeding, with a reduction of about 55 per cent in Aedes mosquito larval breeding found at construction sites in the month of August, compared to in July, this year. However, during our inspections, we still continue to detect egregious cases of multiple mosquito breeding habitats, and habitats with profuse mosquito breeding or repeated breeding, at some of the construction sites. NEA will be taking enforcement action against the respective construction site management: 

i.  A construction site located within a dengue cluster at Arnasalam Chetty Road / Kim Yam Road issued with two Stop Work Orders

NEA issued two Stop Work Orders (SWOs) on 20 July 2020 and 9 September 2020 to the construction site, after detecting repeated mosquito breeding. The second SWO is still in effect, and will be lifted only when the necessary preventive measures have been carried out according to NEA’s requirements. The profuse mosquito breeding habitats detected include an air-con compressor, canvas sheet, planter box, and wooden frame, with 50 or more larvae in each habitat. 

ii.  A construction site located within a cluster under surveillance at Serangoon North Ave 1 issued with two Stop Work Orders 

NEA issued two Stop Work Order (SWO) on 15 July 2020 and 16 September 2020 to the construction site, after detecting repeated mosquito breeding. The second SWO will be lifted only when the preventive measures have been carried out according to NEA’s requirements. The profuse mosquito breeding habitats detected include water ponding in units of higher floors, with 50 or more larvae at each habitat.  

4          These egregious cases of mosquito breeding show that some construction site management are still not carrying out the necessary basic vector control checks, despite the current serious dengue situation, and the extensive communications and outreach on dengue prevention over the past few months. NEA will continue to regularly inspect construction sites, and we urge the construction sector to maintain good housekeeping, sustain vector control activities and remain vigilant in eradicating mosquito breeding habitats. 

5.         In addition to the ongoing islandwide vector control efforts, NEA has continued with its intensified dengue inspection and outreach efforts, and has conducted more than 665,000 inspections islandwide between January to August this year, including about 5,000 checks at construction sites. [1] From January to August this year, about 250 summonses were issued to construction sites. 10 contractors will be charged in court for repeat offences. [2] 21 Stops Work Order (SWO) have been issued to construction sites thus far this year.

Dengue cluster situation update

5          There are 257 dengue clusters reported as of 15 September 2020, 38 clusters fewer than the 295 clusters reported on the previous Tuesday (8 September 2020).  With the concerted efforts of NEA and the community and stakeholders, the following dengue clusters have been closed:

• 243-case cluster at Brighton Crescent
• 162-case cluster at Chiltern Drive
• 125-case cluster at Kensington Park Drive
• 119-case cluster at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3
• 104-case cluster at Lucky Crescent
• 103-case cluster at Lorong 1 Toa Payoh
• 101-case cluster at Dix Road
• 84-case cluster at Butterworth Lane
• 76-case cluster at Margaret Drive
• 69-case cluster at Hemmant Road
• 63-case cluster at How Sun Drive
• 50-case cluster at Chuan Hoe Avenue

6          Overall, we have closed about 89 per cent, or 2,147 of the 2,404 dengue clusters notified since the start of this year. This is an increase of two per cent from the week before. We have also observed a slower rate of disease transmission at some of the larger dengue clusters, such as the 218-case cluster at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 2, with an average of less than one case reported per day in the past two weeks.

7          However, the total number of dengue clusters reported islandwide remains high. There are still large dengue clusters located at Aljunied Road / Geylang Road / Geylang East Avenue 1 and 2, Arnasalam Chetty Road / Kim Yam Road, Bukit Panjang Ring Road and Arthur Road, where intensive vector control operations are ongoing. To combat these large dengue clusters, NEA has been working intensively with key stakeholders from various Government agencies in the Inter-Agency Dengue Task Force (IADTF), including Town Councils, on sustained environmental management efforts during this traditional peak dengue period.

8          We are still in the peak dengue season, and weekly cases can continue to remain high beyond October if mosquito prevention measures are not sustained by all stakeholders. We urge all stakeholders to maintain good housekeeping and ensure that essential vector control measures are undertaken at all premises under their responsibility, to prevent mosquito-borne disease transmission. Residents, especially those residing in dengue cluster areas, should do their part and carry out the three protective actions against dengue – spray insecticide in dark corners around the house, apply insect repellent regularly, and wear long-sleeve tops and long pants. All stakeholders should also continue to do the Mozzie Wipeout at least once a week, and ensure that their homes, premises and immediate surroundings are free of stagnant water.