MORE people died of dengue last year than was originally thought.

Latest figures compiled by the Registry of Births and Deaths show that at least 20 people here lost their lives to the disease.

That is more than double the original figure of eight that the Ministry of Health reported late last year, and not much lower than for 2005, when Singapore was in the throes of its worst dengue outbreak with the disease hitting 14,209 people and killing 25.

Last year, 8,826 people in all got dengue.

The problem lies in a loophole within the reporting system, says the Health Ministry, which promises to plug it soon.

Last year's dengue fatalities were in the age range of 25 to 93 years old. Of the 20, 17 were Singaporean and three were foreigners.

Read the full story in Wednesday's edition of The Straits Times.