No doubt that for the past two years, all attention has been on the pandemic and the government thinking two steps ahead to tackle COVID-19.
But atlas, even the mightiest of us all can’t help but succumb to a sneaky resident virus that has been in Singapore since the 1960s …
It was made known on Friday (15 April), that our very own health minister has come down with a case of dengue fever.
Thought It Was COVID-19 At First
Health minister Mr Ong Ye Kung had thought it was a case of COVID-19 for him as he had persistent body aches after his exercises.
After multiple negative ART tests, the minister later developed a rash all over his arms and body.
This was when Mr Ong had decided to take a blood test and confirmed his suspicions that he had indeed gotten dengue fever.
In his Facebook post, Minister Ong had elaborated that his platelet count was slightly lower than normal but overall “not too bad”.
His doctor had advised him that he was already on his road to recovery.
All the minister has to do is to make sure that he stays hydrated during his recovery process.
The minister ended his post with a reminder to the general public to be careful of getting dengue fever as well as it was dengue season.
Members of the public have commented for the health minister to get well soon and even advised on home remedies the minister could use to recover faster.
This includes drinking a concoction made from boiling papaya leaves in plain water.
Dengue Season and Caution From the NEA
According to CNA, the National Environment Agency (NEA) had warned last month that there was a need for the public to be proactive in preventing mosquito breeding.
This was because the Aedes aegypti mosquito population in Singapore has increased by about 48 percent in March this year compared to the same month in 2021.
The Aedes aegypti mosquito also known as the yellow fever mosquito is the carrier of dengue fever.
The mosquito can be identified from the black and white markings on their legs.
As of 9 April, 3,979 cases of dengue fever have been recorded so far. This is in contrast to a total of 5,258 cases in 2021.
Members of the public are also advised to avoid visiting areas that could potentially have higher Aedes mosquito populations such as forested areas.
But when in doubt, just carry a mosquito repellent or insecticide spray with you everywhere or paste a trusty mosquito patch onto your own body when you can.
Featured Image: Facebook (Minister Ong Ye Kung)