It is normally the kind of disease outbreak one gets to hear about in some distant and undeveloped region.

But not this time around. This is in strait-laced Singapore, one of the most spectacular economic oases in the world.

The nation's gay community would have known about the Nation's Party - an annual gay and lesbian parade a la Mardi Gras - but many others in Singapore were only aware of it on March 9.

This was when senior minister for information, communications, the arts and health, Dr Balaji Sadasivan, squarely placed the blame for the recent 28 percent spike in Aids cases on the event which gathers together gays and lesbians from around the region.

Held usually close to the nation's birthday celebrations on Aug 9, the party is celebrated on Sentosa island, possibly to prevent disruption of the country's delicate mores on sexual behaviour over those lifestyles deemed as 'far-fetched' or even as 'alternative '.