Vietnam Reports 9,000 New People Detected as HIV-Positive

Just over 9,000 new cases of HIV infection were logged in Vietnam during the first seven months of this year, bringing the total number of HIV patients in the country to more than 50,000, official media reported Thursday. The 9,024 people testing positive for HIV through July represented a 57 percent increase over the same period last year, the Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper said. Total infections in the country stand at 52,434.

The newspaper said that since January, 1,146 HIV patients developed AIDS -- a 40 percent increase over the previous year. The disease caused 633 deaths, a 27 percent increase from the same period last year. Southern Ho Chi Minh City, the nation's commercial hub, remains at the top of the list for the number of people with HIV, followed by the northern province of Quang Ninh, northern port city of Hai Phong and Hanoi, the newspaper said. Intravenous drug use is believed to be the primary source of HIV transmission in Vietnam. Health experts said the actual number of HIV-positive Vietnamese could be as high as 135,000 -- more than twice the official figure.

Back to other CDC news for August 2, 2002

Previous Updates