In the first 10 months this year, Guangdong reported  4823 HIV cases, compared to 4448 in the corresponding period last year. Experts predict that there are now more than 40000 adults with HIV infection living in Guangdong.

The AIDS cases totaled 596 and 157 of the reported AIDS sufferers died in the first 10 months this year, up 54.8% and 196.2% respectively year on year.

Until Oct 31st this year, a total of 17855 HIV people were officially reported to have contracted HIV in Guangdong, 1388 out of which have AIDS and 512 died.

Source said that HIV/AIDS cases in seven cities of the Pearl River Delta region account for 72.5% of the total in Guangdong. It mainly spread among intravenous drug users, and the HIV virus transmitted by sexual partners saw 10% rise over the same period last year.

Experts said that many people who contracted HIV before 1998 had developed AIDS, and Guangdong was facing a tough challenge in treating these cases.

The sample survey in Guangdong in August this year found that 78.3% of city dwellers, 75.1% of residents of rural region, 90% of drug addicts, and 88.1% of sex workers have knowledge of HIV/AIDS.

Nowadays, Guangdong has established a detection center in support of HIV/AIDS diagnosis, 13 HIV/AIDS reference laboratories, and 438 HIV/AIDS screening laboratory. In all 21 cities of the province, primary screening centers for detecting HIV/AIDS antibody were set up.

Editor: Donald