General practitioners and polyclinics are on high alert to check
for cases of dengue.
They've ordered more patients to have their blood tested for
suspected dengue before referring them to the hospitals for
confirmation.
Pest busting companies are also seeing more people engaging their
services.
Doctors at SingHealth's Geylang Polyclinic have seen a spike in the
number of dengue cases over the past two months.
Dr Shah Mitesh and his colleagues now treat about 10 to 12 cases of
suspected dengue a week, compared to just 3 or 4 previously.
"Dengue is common in Singapore but by far is not the most common
virus,"
said Dr Shah Mitesh, deputy director of Geylang
Polyclinic.
He also said: "In Singapore, we have more than 50 viruses that can
cause fever and flu virus or running nose.
"They are all very common at causing fever and this usually lasts
one to two days. Usually patients will recover after third day or
so. Generally, when the fever lasts for more than two days, we tend
to do a blood test and suspect dengue."
In each polyclinic, there is a lab where blood samples of patients
are tested.
In the case of dengue, it's the platelet count.
Results are obtained within 15 minutes and it's then that a doctor
will be able to diagnose if it's suspected dengue.
A normal healthy patient will have 140,000 to 400,000 platelet
count but dengue sufferers will have 100,000 or lower.
These patients will then be sent to a hospital where more tests
will be carried out to confirm that it's dengue.
Dr Shah says that out of 10 suspected dengue patients referred to
hospital, eight or more are usually confirmed cases.
SingHealth says that its polyclinics have seen 255 suspected cases
of dengue in July compared to 139 such cases in the previous
month.
Meanwhile, pest control companies have been registering brisk
business.
From fogging to gadgets to kill mosquitoes, pest control companies
have seen a rise in demand, with some seeing as much as 20%
increase in demand for fogging of residential private
properties.
Rentokil Initial has even brought in a new equipment, which it
claims, can trap mosquitoes by emitting a mixture of carbon dioxide
and pheromone.
Rentokil Initial's managing director, Robin Lee, said: "This will
attract mosquitoes within a range of 100 square metres. As the
mosquito flies into this machine, it will be sucked into it."
The company says the machine can be used in any outdoor area such
as lawns or even the compound of a bungalow.
But gadgets aside, it says that to eliminate the mosquitoes,
residents and Singaporeans still need to be vigilant against
potential breeding areas. - CNA/ir
Alert!!!