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)