AIDS kills four in Irian Jaya

AIDS kills four in Irian Jaya

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Four of the 12 people known to have full-blown AIDS in Merauke have died over the past three months, the local health office announced yesterday.

The spokesman for the provincial health office, Gunawan, also told Antara that a total of 52 people in Merauke have tested positive for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

Merauke has the highest number of people testing positive for the killer virus in the province.

He said most of the patients were Thai nationals working for locally-based fishing companies.

The health authorities put the number of people still living with HIV at 67. Merauke tops the list with 52 virus carriers, while Jayapura lists three and Timika and Serui each list one.

Gunawan said the spread of the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome was "worrying" in Irian Jaya because the incurable disease has been reported to have stricken not only high-risk groups like prostitutes, but also housewives. (pan)