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The number of HIV carriers reported in China increased 37.3 percent from the same time last year, according to the latest statistics released by the Ministry of Health. At the end of September, there were 20,711 reported HIV carriers in China, including 741 AIDS patients, 397 of whom had died.
According to analysts' estimates, however, the real number of HIV carriers exceeded 500,000 in China by the end of 1999.
The Oct. 31 Zhongguo Xinwen She ( China News Service ) reported that most of the HIV carriers are young, male and rural. About 84 percent of the carriers are men, and 81 percent of the carriers are between the ages of 20 and 40, with 20- to 29-year-olds accounting for 56.9 percent of the total, and 30- to 39-year-olds accounting for 24.1 percent.
Contraction during illegal drug use was the main source of infection, accounting for 72.1 percent of HIV carriers, the story said.
China has set up over 600 trial outlets in 22 provinces, cities and autonomous regions, aimed at providing health protection services for 11 categories of high-risk people. These include drug users, women who engage in pornographic services and patients with venereal disease.
The outlets have achieved positive results so far, the story said. In addition, analysts have called for authorities to strictly prohibit illegal blood collection, encourage high-risk people to use condoms and provide specific education for drug users, the story said.
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Source : Obtained from
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