With an estimated 12,000 people in Beijing infected with
HIV/AIDS, the municipal public health bureau says the disease has
entered a new phase and is expected to spread faster.
The bureau says there are 3,462 people who are officially
registered as HIV carriers or AIDS sufferers in the capital city
but there are likely three times that number who either don't know
they have the virus or have yet to seek medical attention.
Statistics reveal by public health bureau on Thursday also show
that among the reported cases, 686 are Beijing residents, 2,634 are
people from other provinces, and 142 are foreigners.
Drug addicts account for 1,357 of the reported cases, 924 cases
were transmitted through sexual intercourse, 535 by blood
transmission, 46 from mother to infant, and about 600 were
untraceable.
The public health bureau plans to set up HIV/AIDS monitoring
network this year, which will cover all groups.
The municipal government also plans to build at least one AIDS
prevention clinic in each of the city's 18 districts and counties
before the end of 2008.
China has 183,733 officially reported HIV/AIDS cases in 2006 but
experts from the Ministry of Health estimate there are more likely
650,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in China.
(Xinhua News Agency April 20, 2007)