Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Engaging Private Estates on Dengue and Fogging

Question:

To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment whether the Ministry will consider more active engagement of private estates on solutions such as fumigation for areas with a higher risk of dengue transmission and mosquito breeding.

Answer:

1 The National Environment Agency (NEA) adopts a holistic dengue control strategy to keep dengue incidence low, by keeping the mosquito population low and breaking the disease transmission chain. Part of this approach involves community outreach and engagement, including to those living in private estates, encouraging them to remove mosquito breeding habitats and protect themselves against dengue. Such outreach efforts are stepped up in locations where dengue clusters emerge.

2 NEA’s primary strategy to mitigate the risk of dengue transmission is source reduction, or the removal of potential and actual mosquito breeding habitats. Premises owners or managers of private estates are encouraged to take proactive steps to prevent mosquito breeding within their property. In areas where there is active dengue transmission, chemical control methods such as the spraying of insecticides, can complement source reduction efforts.  However, outdoor fogging should be used judiciously and not as a routine mosquito-control measure.

3 I urge everyone to play our part to ensure that our homes and surroundings are free of stagnant water, and to take the necessary precautions if we are residing in dengue cluster areas, such as spraying insecticides in dark corners, applying insect repellent and wearing long-sleeves and pants.