37 HIV/AIDS cases reported

JAKARTA (JP): There were 37 new HIV/AIDS cases in Indonesia last month, according to official statistics released by the directorate general for communicable diseases at the Ministry of Health.

These new cases brought the official nationwide total of HIV/AIDS cases to 1,080 since the first case was reported in 1987.

In its monthly report, which was made available to the press, the directorate underlined the danger of sharing needles among drug users. Of the 37 people know to have HIV/AIDS, four people have full-blown AIDS and six have HIV.

According to the report, the new cases consist of 12 AIDS and 25 HIV.

Cases of drug users catching the Immunodefficiency Virus through needle use were first detected last July. Since then, the health ministry has recorded 16 AIDS and 19 HIV cases.

Last month's cases were reported from Medan (one HIV), Lampung (one HIV), Greater Jakarta (seven HIV and three AIDS), West Java 16 HIV and eight AIDS) and Irian Jaya (one AIDS). (pan)