About 110 People Get Infected With HIV in Russia Daily

Each day in Russia, about 110 people become infected with HIV, according to statistics released today in Moscow. At that rate, Russia's official count of HIV patients will hit 400,000 by year's end.

But that figure is likely a mere fraction of the actual case count, said Dmitry Golayev, director of the Russian Healthcare Foundation. He said the official number of cases is believed to lag behind the real count by about 2.5-fold, meaning that in fact 1 million Russians will be HIV-infected by year's end. A case count of 1.4 million would mean 10 percent of Russians were HIV-infected, threatening the country's security, he said.

A national effort now underway seeks to encourage Russians to undergo HIV testing and to get treatment to those infected. This year, about 30,000 patients, including some prisoners, will be treated. "The earlier treatment [begins], the higher chances are to live a full life," said Golayev. He noted that HIV long ago spread beyond those deemed at highest risk: 40 percent of new HIV cases are neither drug users nor homosexuals.

From Sept. 1 through Oct. 20, the "AIDS-STOP" motorsports race will visit 15 cities from Vladivostok to Moscow. The touring AIDS awareness event will feature free concerts, lectures, and scientific roundtable discussions.

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