The Hindu : International : Dramatic rise in HIV cases

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 13, 2005

International

International

Dramatic rise in HIV cases

PRETORIA: More than 6.2 million of South Africa's 47 million people, nearly13 per cent of the population, may be HIV positive, a dramatic increase from last year's estimate. The Department of Health on Monday said that between 6.29 and 6.57 million South Africans are infected with the HIV virus. The figures contradict a study by Statistics South Africa, a state agency, which estimated in May that about 4.5 million were infected. The latest statistics come from a 2004 study of women at antenatal clinics. According to blood tests on the women, 29.5 per cent were HIV positive, up from 27.9 per cent in 2003. The infection rate was as high as 40 per cent among pregnant women in KwaZulu-Natal. The department acknowledged that its latest estimates assume that HIV prevalence among pregnant women was the same as for all women between the ages of 15 and 49.

— © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2004

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