Clogged drains at Blk 52, Sims Place (a dengue cluster): Good breeding spots?
Sent to REACH and NEA on 29 may 2007:
Jeff Ho wrote:
Date: Mon, 28 May 2007 21:16:17 -0700 (PDT)
From: Jeff Ho denguealert@yahoo.com
Subject: Clogged drains at Blk 52, Sims Place: Good breeding spots?
To: reach@reach.gov.sg
CC: Yuen Hee LEE LEE_Yuen_Hee@nea.gov.sg , 75557@stomp.com.sg,Alias , ONN Alias_ONN@nea.gov.sg , Aminah YUNOS Aminah_YUNOS@nea.gov.sg , Ann WONG Ann_WONG@nea.gov.sg , Chin Boey CHIA CHIA_Chin_Boey@nea.gov.sg , Dalson CHUNG Dalson_CHUNG@nea.gov.sg , Fung Yin PANG PANG_Fung_Yin@nea.gov.sg , Hameed MASDI Hameed_MASDI@nea.gov.sg , Hui Tiak TAN TAN_Hui_Tiak@nea.gov.sg , Jamal MAJID Jamal_MAJID@nea.gov.sg, John GERIZIM John_GERIZIM@nea.gov.sg , Kahlik ISMAIL Kahlik_ISMAIL@nea.gov.sg , Kheng Seng LEE LEE_Kheng_Seng@nea.gov.sg , Kim Kee LIM LIM_Kim_Kee@nea.gov.sg , Kok Choy HUI HUI_Kok_Choy@nea.gov.sg , Lisa KOK Lisa_KOK@nea.gov.sg , PUB Teng Chye KHOO tckhoo@pub.gov.sg , R Chandramogan R R_Chandramogan_R@nea.gov.sg , Raja CHONNAMUTHU Raja_CHONNAMUTHU@nea.gov.sg , Ravindran NAIR Ravindran_NAIR@nea.gov.sg , S Satish APPOO S_Satish_APPOO@nea.gov.sg , Sara BOH Sara_BOH@nea.gov.sg, Selvanayagam INTHRALINGAM Selvanayagam_INTHRALINGAM@nea.gov.sg, Siti Suriani ABDUL MAJID Siti_Suriani_ABDUL_MAJID@nea.gov.sg, Song Joo LIM LIM_Song_Joo@nea.gov.sg, Subramaniam RAMASAMY Subramaniam_RAMASAMY@nea.gov.sg, Yaacob IBRAHIM Yaacob_IBRAHIM@mewr.gov.sg, Zulkarnain HASSAN BAKTEE Zulkarnain_HASSAN_BAKTEE@nea.gov.sg
To: Feedback Unit
cc: various NEA officers
29 May 2007
see attached email from concerned resident.
Moonbeam <> wrote:
Date: Sun, 27 May 2007 22:21:21 -0700 (PDT)
From: Moonbeam <>
Subject: Clogged drains. Good breeding spots?
To: denguealert@yahoo.com
Hi,
Attached are fotos taken of the drain in front of Blk 52 Sims Place last Thurs (24 May 07). Sims Drive/Sims Place has been a dengue cluster for quite a number of weeks and the areas have been expanding. There's a lot of mosquitoes in the area, and from the condition of the drains there, it seems as though the drains are the cause of the presence of mosquitoes. Weird that no one has cleaned up the drains yet.
Singapore's health minister says dengue outbreak worsened by spread of new strain
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_MED_SINGAPORE_DENGUE_ASOL-?SITE=ASIAONE&SECTION=SOUTHEAST&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2007-05-24-03-18-33May 24, 3:18 AM EDT
Singapore's health minister says dengue outbreak worsened by spread of new strain
By GILLIAN WONG Associated Press Writer
AP Photo/Wong Maye-e
SINGAPORE (AP) -- A strain of dengue new to Singapore is impeding efforts to stem the spread of the mosquito-borne disease that has infected hundreds in the affluent city-state this year, a top health official said Thursday.
Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan said the current rise in infections, including a record 210 cases last week and one fatality, evoked memories of a 2005 epidemic that killed 25 in the tropical island-nation of 4.5 million.
"I'm quite worried about the dengue trend," Khaw told reporters on the sidelines of an infectious diseases exhibition.
Authorities said earlier this week that Singapore recorded a nearly 50 percent increase in dengue infections in the first 4-1/2 months of this year compared to the same period in 2006.
Dengue cases reported from the start of January to May 12 rose to 1,488 - up from 993 in the corresponding period last year, the Health Ministry said.
Singapore defines an epidemic as more than 378 cases a week, local media reported.
The disease, which causes joint pain, high fever, nausea and a rash, is endemic to the region. In severe cases, it leads to internal bleeding and sometimes death.
Khaw said the emergence in Singapore of a different dominant type of dengue was compounding the problem.
"What is a little against us is because of the strain, the strain type. It is ... largely new to the population here," Khaw said. "It's troublesome because many people have no current, existing immunity."
The dengue virus now predominant in Singapore is believed to be the same as in neighboring Indonesia, and is different from the main active strain in Singapore over the past few years, according to local media reports.
Those previously infected with other types of dengue are not immune, and may even face a higher risk of complications when infected with a different strain, The Straits Times newspaper said.
Health officials have been combing public housing estates in search of mosquito breeding sites. Dengue-carrying insects can breed in tiny pools of water found in flower pots, discarded bottles or cans, or old tires.
The Health Ministry said the recent spike in infections is likely due to warmer weather during this period of the year, which is conducive for breeding mosquitoes and the spread of dengue.
© 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
So many clogged drains. No wonder there's dengue.
From Yew Tee to Bukit Timah, one STOMPer has spotted potential dengue hotspots at clogged drains around Singapore.
Regular STOMP contributor, 51-year-old AG Lee, most recently emailed STOMP about his concerns about the rise in dengue cases in Singapore, and wonders if clogged drains like these might contribute to this worrying trend.
He came across these drains clogged with rubbish near a bus shelter at the Yew Tee industrial estate (main picture).
He also spotted a similar sight near the Anak Bukit flyover along Bukit Timah Road, where rubbish and overgrown grass had been clogging up the drains there (pictured)
He wondered if there could be more done by the authorities to prevent these spots from turning into dengue danger zones.
STOMP has contacted the National Environment Agency (NEA) and the PUB for comment. Watch this space.
Another dirty street near Aljunied MRT - potential dengue breeding gound
See another dirty street in singapore.
Why is this drain so dirty?
William Lim, 47, was appalled that the drain behind Aljunied MRT station was dirty and clogged up with rubbish.The production manager was on Geylang Lorong 25A, near the roundabout behind Aljunied MRT station where cars drop off and pick up passengers, yesterday evening (14 May).He was there with a friend at about 5pm to 6pm when he noticed the drain.He told STOMP, “It looked like the drain was not cleared for a long time. The water is stagnant, and there were newspapers and rubbish in there.”“I am so shocked that there is this kind of drain in Singapore.”
AP (21 May 2007) - Singapore records sharp rise in dengue cases, possibly from spread of new strain
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_MED_SINGAPORE_DENGUE_ASOL-?SITE=ASIAONE&SECTION=SOUTHEAST&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2007-05-21-01-05-18May 21, 1:05 AM EDT
Report: Singapore records sharp rise in dengue cases, possibly from spread of new strain
SINGAPORE (AP) -- Singapore recorded a nearly 50 percent increase in dengue infections in the first 4 1/2 months of this year compared to the same period in 2006, news reports said Monday.
Dengue cases reported from the start of January to May 12 rose to 1,488 - up from 993 in the corresponding period last year, The Straits Times newspaper reported.
Singapore had 180 new cases of dengue reported last week, an all-time high, according to local TV news station Channel NewsAsia.
Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan said the sharp rise could be caused by a different strain of the virus spreading in the tropical city-state of 4.5 million, the paper reported.
One man is believed to have died this year from dengue fever, the paper said, without giving details.
The Health Ministry had no immediate comment on the reports.
Health officials have been combing public housing estates in search of mosquito breeding sites. Dengue-carrying insects can breed in tiny pools of water found in flower pots, discarded bottles or cans, or old tires.
Like several other Southeast Asian countries, Singapore reported a higher-than-usual number of dengue infections in 2005.
The disease, which causes joint pain, high fever, nausea and a rash, is endemic to the region. In severe cases, it leads to internal bleeding and sometimes death.
At least 19 out of Singapore's 4.2 million people died last year from the disease.
© 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Re: Feedback On Drains and Road - St Michael's Road
Sat, 5 May 2007
Thank you for your reply. I agree with you that if the leaves have been left there for sometime, then the contractor is not doing its job and this not acceptable. I have asked my officers to be more thorough in checking on the contractors. Thank you once again for your feedback.
Regards
Lee Yuen Hee
Chief Executive Officer
The National Environment Agency
DID +65 67319887
Fax +65 62352611
