Rising HIV carriers in Xinjiang spark concern
20/10/2006 9:47
Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region reported 16,035 HIV
carriers at the end of June, a rise of 4,732 in just nine months, the local
disease control center said.
The region reported 11,303 HIV carriers at
the end of September last year, according to the regional center. The new cases
were found in 15 prefectures and cities, including the regional capital,
Urumqi.
In June, Xinjiang had 563 reported AIDS cases, including 105
deaths. The region reported 213 AIDS patients from the beginning of 2001 to June
last year, including 54 deaths.
Hao Yang, deputy head of the disease
prevention and control bureau of the Ministry of Health, said HIV infection was
severe in Xinjiang, calling on local governments and medical departments to make
concerted efforts to curb the spread of the disease.
Hao said AIDS was
spreading from high-risk groups, such as prostitutes, to ordinary groups,
including pregnant women, most of whom were infected by their husbands who
contracted HIV through drug use.
Clinical monitoring showed the incidence
of HIV infection among women lying-in was up to one percent in Xinjiang's Yili
area, while the average was 0.3 percent, said Ni Mingjian, head of the regional
venereal disease and HIV/AIDS department of the disease control center.
Xinhua news
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