HIV ravaging China

However, it's believed that the actual number of total infections, including unreported cases, is about 650 000, BBC News reported.

Chinese health officials also said that it appears that HIV/Aids is starting to spread from high-risk groups, such as injection drug users and prostitutes, into the general population.

China has the world's largest sex trade industry. About 10 million young women work in brothels, but less than half of them tell their clients to use condoms.

After years of denying that HIV/Aids was a serious problem in China, officials in that country have recently boosted efforts to combat the virus, including promises of free treatment for poor people, prevention programmes, and a ban on discrimination against people with HIV/Aids, BBC News reported. – (HealthDayNews)

November 2006