A Singapore man is to face charges in court for allegedly breeding mosquitos amid a dengue fever epidemic, environmental officials said on Wednesday, according to dpa. The man owns a commercial fishing pond, located in the worst hotspot of the disease that is transmitted to humans by the insects, where more than 40 new cases were detected on Wednesday. Officers with the National Environmental Agency (NEA) found more than 600 mosquito larvae at the pond's pumping station. "We believe some of the mosquitoes may have found their way into nearby homes," a NEA officials said. If found guilty, the unidentified man could be fined a maximum of 5,000 Singapore dollars (3,289 US dollars) or face three months in jail, or both. The case is believed to be the first of its kind in the city-state this year. Health officers have warned that the number of cases of dengue fever will likely remain high for the next few months. Despite the inspections of homes in affected areas, the number of people with the disease, which is carried by the Aedes mosquito, reached 3,527 over the last 26 weeks. Three infected people have died. The number of cases hit 381 last week and 401 in the week beginning June 10. The health ministry considers an epidemic as more than 378 cases in a week. Dengue, which causes a high fever, joint pain and nausea, can lead to internal bleeding, sometimes resulting in death.
