A worker sprays insecticide to fight against dengue fever in Singapore, July 6, 2021. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua via Getty Images)
Singapore says it is facing a dengue “emergency” as it grapples with an outbreak of the seasonal disease that has come unusually early this year.
The Southeast Asian city-state has already exceeded 11,000 cases — far beyond the 5,258 it reported throughout 2021 — and that was before June 1, when its peak dengue season traditionally begins.
Experts are warning that it’s a grim figure not only for Singapore — whose tropical climate is a natural breeding ground for the Aedes mosquitoes that carry the virus — but also for the rest of the world. That’s because changes in the global climate mean such outbreaks are likely to become more common and widespread in the coming years.
Dengue is not a pleasant disease. It causes flu-like symptoms such as high fever, severe headaches and body pains. In extreme cases, bleeding, breathing difficulties, organ failure and even death can occur.
I – Word Understanding
Omen – a sign or warning
Grapples – struggles
Grim – worrying
II – Have Your Say
1, vAre you familiar with dengue fever? What do you know about it? Are you worried about dengue becoming common in Japan?
2, What other bugs are becoming more common now in your country especially during the summer season? How do you manage these bugs?
3, What are the other things that are happening around you that you think are signs of global climate change?
How do you feel about climate change?
888 Singapore’s dengue ’emergency’ is a climate change omen for the world
