Malaysia sees big rise in AIDS cases

Malaysia sees big rise in AIDS cases

KUALA LUMPUR (AP): The AIDS virus has killed 984 people in Malaysia in less than two years, the country's top health official said yesterday.

Between January 1996 and September 1997, 1,236 cases of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) were detected and 22,899 other people were found to be infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) that causes AIDS, Health Minister Chua Jua Ming was quoted as saying by the Bernama news agency.

HIV infection is increasing in Malaysia at a rate four times higher than the world average. Last year, the government launched a nationwide campaign to educate people about AIDS.

The first four cases of AIDS in Malaysia were discovered in 1986. Last year, Chua had said 322 people had AIDS in Malaysia and some 16,000 people had tested positive for the HIV virus.