Singapore is known for its order and cleanliness. However, the country is facing an outbreak of dengue fever recently. Many dengue patients have been hospitalised and more than 60 new cases have been reported every day. So far, there have been 10,000 cases recorded, and eight people have died because of the virus, which is spread by mosquitoes.

One patient, Ben Lee, contracted dengue fever in June. He said that he suffered from high fever, aching joints and sharp headaches. He was bedridden for days. In the worst cases, dengue fever causes internal bleeding, which may lead to death.

There is no known cure for dengue fever. However, there are a few precautions we can take. We can use mosquito repellent or sleep under mosquito nets. We can also get rid of stagnant water in our homes.

These are areas where mosquitoes can breed. We should avoid being outdoors at dawn and in the early evening. These are the times when more mosquitoes are out. We can cover ourselves by wearing protective clothing.

About 50 to 100 million people around the world suffer from dengue fever every year. We have to vigilantly guard against it.