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

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.