The number of HIV carriers in Hunan Province has been rising rapidly, and the figures in the first nine months of the year approximates the total for the past 13 years.
The information comes from a report by the provincial disease control center in central China.
December 1 is World AIDS Day and international experts hope for comprehensive statistics.
During the period from 1992 to 1994, two HIV infections were reported on average every year. But in the first nine months of this year, the registered cases have increased to 999.
As of September, Hunan HIV carriers totaled 2,248, of whom 241 developed AIDS. Five children have HIV.
"The increase is partly due to more examination sites, diagnosing more cases. And the virus is transmitted in more complicated ways," said Chen Xi, a provincial health official.
Among the carriers, 66 percent were infected through unsafe drug use, 17 percent through unsafe sex, and 7 percent through blood transfusions. The remaining causes were not determined.
China reported over 120,000 HIV carriers and nearly 30,000 AIDS patients in June; 7,000 are believed to have died.
(Xinhua)