jpatokal, whilst you are wise to warn against panic, there is a real risk from Dengue. Now Mr Seasider and I have had a less serious version, apparently we are at higher risk of catching the haemorraeghic (sp?) version next time. I have an autoimmune disease and I am susceptible to bugs too. When we were in Gleneagles last July, we were not even allowed to clean our teeth for fear of bleeding to death. It's a very real risk when one's platelet count is so low.
BTW, we did take precautions, as we know Geylang is a hotspot. We chucked out all our plants and made sure our gutters were clear, plus flushed our seldom-used outdoor toilet regularly. What we couldn't control was what our neighbours did.
I had a bad headache for a fortnight before I was diagnosed, and then I was only diagnosed because Mr S had a fever of 41.5, which was scary enough for me to march him straight off to the 24 hour clinic. He tested positive, so I asked to be tested too. I was borderline for a few days but ended up delirious and was then admitted, still above the government guidelines.
HOWEVER, my take on it all is - if the dengue doesn't get me, the JI might. Can't live in fear.