Dengue fever surges in Singapore; 9,000 sickened

Singapore is telling doctors to be more vigilant against dengue fever as the mosquito-borne disease surges this year, AP reported. The Southeast Asian city-state has had more than 9,000 cases and two deaths since January. The illnesses counted so far in 2013 are already twice the total for all of last year. Singapore's health ministry said in a statement late Monday it has alerted clinics in neighborhoods where dengue cases have spiked and has advised all medical practitioners about the early diagnosis and close monitoring of patients. Dengue fever, spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, is common in Asia and Latin America. Symptoms include high fever, joint pains and nausea, but in severe cases, it can lead to internal bleeding, liver enlargement, circulatory shutdown and death.