Sexual activity becomes main route of HIV transmission in China
26/9/2008 17:57
Sexual activity has replaced intravenous drug use as the major cause of
the spread of AIDS in China, a report from the Ministry of Health said.
The
shift became evident in October 2007, the disease prevention and control bureau
of the ministry said in a report yesterday. The change was a marked departure
from the pre-2003 situation, when intravenous drug use was the dominant means of
HIV transmission.
According to the report, during the first half of this
year, 22,299 new HIV/AIDS cases were reported in the mainland, of whom 4,007 had
died.
Cumulative infections as of June 30 topped 252,748, including 30,883
deaths.
The report found the ratio of sexually transmitted infections had
risen steadily, with heterosexual and male homosexual transmission climbing to
37.9 percent and 3.3 percent in 2007, respectively, from 10.7 percent and 0.4
percent in 2005, respectively.
The relatively low rate of condom use was to
blame, the report said.
Xinhua
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