One more case of vivax malaria has been confirmed and added to the malaria cluster at Sungei Kadut/Mandai Estate. The case is a 21-year-old foreign construction worker who previously lived in Mandai Estate. He has no travel history and no history of malaria prior to entry to Singapore. His illness onset date was on 30 Jun 09. This brings the total number of cases in the cluster to 16. 14 of the cases are foreigners while 2 of the cases are Singaporeans comprising one full-time national serviceman and one general worker.

2   There are no new cases at Jurong Island and the total number of cases in this cluster remains at 8. The cases are all male foreigners aged 25 to 46. The onset dates of the cases in this cluster ranged from 3 May to 10 June 09.  

3  The National Environment Agency (NEA), together with other stakeholders such as dormitory operators and premises owners are continuing with vector control operations in the Sungei Kadut /Mandai estate.  This includes oiling and Bti misting to destroy mosquito breedings, with chemical fogging and residual spraying to kill adult mosquitoes. The construction site and dormitory operators have also equipped their workers with mosquito repellant as a precautionary measure.  No new breedings have been found since 27 June.  The latest round of chemical fogging was carried out on 22 July and our latest adult trapping to assess the mosquito population in the area did not capture any malarial vector mosquitoes.  The vector control operations will continue.   

4  MOH is monitoring the situation closely and will update the public on any new developments.
MOH’s advice to the public

5  Malaria, like dengue fever, is a mosquito-borne disease and the best way to prevent malaria is to take precautionary measures against mosquitoes and prevent their breeding. Persons diagnosed with malaria should be isolated from further mosquito bites so as to reduce the risk of further transmission of the disease.