Prostitutes tested HIV positive

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: A health official revealed yesterday that six of the 500 prostitutes working in West Timor have been infected by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

Dr. Fen Olof Manik, in a meeting with some government agencies' officials in Kupang, called for concerted efforts to stop the virus spreading.

Governor Herman Musakabe agreed that there should be a unified campaign, saying it should start with residents. "Don't go to red light districts...soon the prostitutes, after running out of customers, will leave," he said.

Official data shows that there are 35 brothels in the province, with most prostitutes coming from East Java.

May's official statics say that 390 people are infected with HIV and full-blown Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Of the 95 AIDS victims recorded, 59 have died. The other 295 listed are HIV-positive.

Jakarta has the most infected people with 137 HIV and AIDS carriers. Irian Jaya is second with 102, Bali and East Java each have 33 and Riau has 29. (yac/swe)