Health Risks of Tick-borne Diseases in Singapore and Mitigating Spread of Diseases

23 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health (a) how prevalent are tick-borne diseases in Singapore; (b) what are the health risks associated with such diseases; and (c) whether there plans by the Ministry to mitigate the risks of tick-borne diseases spreading among the population as green spaces are expanded in Singapore.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: Tick-borne diseases, such as Lyme disease and severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome, are not common in Singapore. As Singapore is a travel and transportation hub, there is a risk of tick-borne diseases among travellers from countries where the pathogens have been recorded. However, the risk of sustained community transmission in Singapore is low.

Tick-borne diseases often present with non-specific symptoms including fever, muscle aches and rash, and, if left untreated, can result in severe complications. As such, the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) educates travellers on preventing tick-borne diseases while abroad, and travellers who fall ill upon return should seek medical treatment. In partnership with the National Parks Board and the National Environment Agency, CDA adopts a One Health approach to conduct surveillance and research of tick-borne diseases in Singapore.