http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/current-dengue-epidemic-claims-first-life-ite-grad
Ang Yong Han, 20, died on Wednesday, three days after he was admitted to hospital.
As of 3pm yesterday, the number of cases so far this year has already hit 8,195 at the start of the peak period for dengue (May to July).
Ang, who recently graduated from the Institute of Technical Education and was due to enlist for National Service yesterday, had first gone to Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) last Thursday.
He was diagnosed with viral fever and discharged after his condition was reported to be stable, the Ministry of Health and the National Environment Agency said in a joint statement.
He subsequently returned to TTSH’s Emergency Department on May 26 and was admitted as a dengue case. During admission, his condition deteriorated despite medical interventions, and he passed away on May 29.
The authorities said the NEA was conducting thorough vector control operations at the vicinity of Mr Ang’s home at Hougang Avenue 1, which is a dengue cluster.
At the wake held at the void deck of the block where he lived, his distraught parents and relatives questioned why Mr Ang, an only child, was not warded when he first went to TTSH.
His uncle, who wished to be known only as Mr Yap, said: “Was it because he was not given attention fast enough? We are taking issue with the fact that the (hospital) has neglected to seize that opportunity to catch his dengue infection.”
He also alleged that the hospital failed to communicate effectively to Madam Ang, who could not read English, if its staff had conducted blood platelet tests on Mr Ang.
In a statement last night, TTSH Medical Board Chairman Thomas Lew said that the doctor attending to Mr Ang last Thursday had done a full blood count. She diagnosed Mr Ang with viral fever “but did not rule out the possibility of dengue”.
Offering the hospital’s “deepest condolences to Mr Ang’s family”, Associate Professor Lew said: “Our doctor admitted him for dengue (on Sunday) and he was cared for by a team of senior doctors. His condition however, deteriorated despite the aggressive blood transfusion treatment, organ systems support, and close monitoring.”
He died at 7am on Wednesday. The cause of death was listed as Dengue Shock Syndrome.
Mr Ang’s cousins described him as a quiet and humble person. He had recently qualified for the national reserve pool squad and was looking forward to studying aeronautical engineering in a polytechnic after NS.
Cuesports Singapore posted a message on its Facebook page mourning the “sad loss of another player from our Pool fraternity”.
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