24 in S. Sulawesi infected with HIV

24 in S. Sulawesi infected with HIV

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: The number of people infected with
the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) across the province has
reached 24, an activist at a non-governmental organization said
recently.

The director of the HIV/AIDS Volunteer Group, Zulkifli Amin,
said here he expected this figure to increase due to a rise in
prostitution.

"We don't know for certain how much the virus has spread. Who
knows if it has infected someone in our home, neighborhood or
even ourselves," he said.

The Ministry of Health announced last month there were 1,080
HIV/AIDS cases nationwide. The first reported case was in 1987.

Due to difficulties in monitoring the spread of the virus, the
World Health Organization has estimated that the actual number of
cases could be between 100 times and 200 times higher than the
official figure. (30/01)