ASIA/CHINA - More than 8 million people in Asia are Hiv+: in China the virus is spreading at an alarming rate

Thursday, 14 July 2005

Rome (Fides Service) - Unless efforts for prevention are intensified AIDS could spread like wild fire throughout Asia where this lethal virus threatens to explode. This emerged during the 7th Asia-Pacific Area AIDS Conference.
According to the United Nations Organisation the HIV virus has already struck eight million people in Asia, five million in India alone.
The HIV virus is spreading in mainland China at an alarming rate affecting people in every province as the Chinese authorities now admit. Over 20% of the cases of infection come from illegal blood transfusions, about 40% from drug abuse and 8% sexually transmitted. The government says those affected are less than one million but international estimates are much higher.
UNAIDS fears that unless individual governments intensify efforts to prevent and treat the virus at least 12 million more people could be affected in the next five years. (AP) (14/7/2005 Agenzia Fides; Righe:17; Parole:187)


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