Singapore registers more dengue cases in January

SINGAPORE, Jan. 29 (Chinese media) -- Singapore registered

more dengue cases in the first three weeks of January over the same period last

year, local media reported on Thursday.

Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA) said

that 509 people caught dengue fever in the first three weeks of January,

compared to 341 during the same period last year, according to a report by the

Straits Times.

The NEA said it was monitoring whether the increase

in cases was simply due to short-term fluctuations, adding that a surge in the

number of cases in neighboring Malaysia may have an impact on Singapore.

The English newspaper said that Malaysia reported

4,221 dengue cases in the first 23 days of this month, which almost doubled the

figure of the same period last year.

Singapore's key strategy to prevent dengue outbreaks

is to keep the mosquito population low to reduce their chances of transmitting

the disease, the NEA said in the report.