[Cayde-6]

And even this is selling Singapore’s policy and procedure short.

On top of those broader measures listed and the general level of public cleaning/maintenance, there’s reporting of every dengue infection diagnosed along with the individual’s home address and particulars to the National Environmental Agency. Cases and trends are monitored for developing clusters, publicly publishing up-to-date findings and exact numbers. Where a cluster is found, they do additional anti-mosquito fogging and significantly increase the local public awareness campaign (huge banners, posters in every elevator, distribute leaflets, etc).

They then send agents unannounced to inspect inside every home/unit in the area for any potential breeding grounds. Everything is checked from potted plant trays to dish drying racks to toilet bowl scrubber holders. If any breeding is found, there’s fines in the thousands of dollars. The agents are empowered to enter without a warrant; it’s taken THAT seriously.

The NEA also monitors and takes appropriate action against non-residential areas like construction sites, where standing water is hard to eliminate unless it’s a priority.

[JimDabell]

They are also using Wolbachia programmes to reduce mosquito populations:

https://www.nea.gov.sg/corporate-functions/resources/researc...

Dengue is just a difficult thing to fight. In 2020, more people died of dengue in Singapore than from Covid (32 dengue deaths vs 29 Covid deaths).

[zac23or]

> Dengue is just a difficult thing to fight

Singapore had 8k cases in 2022. Brazil has 3 million cases of dengue in 2024. Is not the same thing.

[JimDabell]

Why would you quote figures like that without adjusting them for population? Brazil has 40x the population of Singapore.

[zac23or]

0.16% of Singapore's population had Dengue in 2022. 1.4% of Brazil's population had Dengue in 2023.

[Teever]

Are there any significant differences in the geography of Brazil that could also contribute to some of the difference in infection rates?

[ahonhn]

Very. In simple terms there's just a lot more of Brazil to deal with.

Brazil is a massive 8,514,215 km2 while Singapore is just a tiny 734 km2 island which is very highly urbanised and developed and doesn't have a significant rural population (hence the description of "city-state").

Its small enough that you can monitor mozzie levels at the individual building level, and locate and deal with breeding spots at that level too. That might also be practical in urban areas in Brazil, but for rural areas I suspect is not feasible?

[andreareina]

Oh yes it was Wolbachia I was thinking of, not sterile males.

[jajko]

Just look at the map of Singapore. It doesn't matter how hard they try, there is malay jungle maybe 1km from the city. Unless its getting the same treatment for another 10km from the border, or they somehow raise star trek shields between it, little buggers can easily find their way to the city even if city itself is sterilized.

[zac23or]

Singapore had 8 thousand cases in 2022. Brazil has 3 million cases of dengue in 2024.Is not the same thing. The poor distribution of water and the lack of sewage are fundamental to dengue fever in Brazil.

[Teever]

I'm sure those are all factors but don't you think that the thousands of miles of jungle also places a factor?

[angiosperm]

Not if dengue is an urban phenomenon.

[ahonhn]

Had such inspections before whenever kena red zone here.

As well as checking all these things the agent will advise on what to look out for. For example our unused plastic buckets in the bathroom are upside down so they don't accumulate water, ah! but then also must check that little rim channel as it too can also accumulate enough water from nearby splashing to become a breeding spot!

SG also has Zika which transmits via Aedes mosquitos.

The common corridors in many blocks also have "Gravitraps" they use to monitor numbers by counting how many mozzies get trapped.

https://www.nea.gov.sg/dengue-zika

[osmano807]

Brazil too have notification with the numbers published weekly by each State of the country, all cases are notified even without laboratory confirmation. They too have zoonosis agents which inspect locations, but they're not allowed to enter without warrant.

[ghaff]

Even in Massachusetts, I had a call from the town nurse.

[c_o_n_v_e_x]

>They then send agents unannounced to inspect inside every home/unit in the area for any potential breeding grounds. Everything is checked from potted plant trays to dish drying racks to toilet bowl scrubber holders. If any breeding is found, there’s fines in the thousands of dollars. The agents are empowered to enter without a warrant; it’s taken THAT seriously.

Came here to say this. I lived in SG for 14 years, we had the "mosquito police" show up to our office (shophouse in Emerald hill) and do an inspection.

If you're getting mosquitoes in your place, you can call the NEA and they'll send people out looking for the source.

Grass is mowed religiously in Singapore to help keep the mosquitoes under control and there's always a ton of spraying. During COVID lockdowns, a lot of the lawn guys were stuck in the dormitories so the grass got tall. Also, the coconut palms went untrimmed. The morning walks became fraught with danger as the palms were overloaded with coconuts and were consistently falling onto the footpaths. I know COVID sucked for a lot of people, but I find a weird sense of nostalgia for that time.

[zac23or]

Are you comparing 8k cases (Singapore) with 3 million cases per year (Brazil)?