Known HIV/AIDS Cases in Indonesia Exceed 7,000

Known HIV/AIDS cases in Indonesia exceed 7,000

JAKARTA, July 27 (Xinhua) — The number of people known to have HIV/AIDS in Indonesia reached 7,082 as of June, up substantially from 6,050 at the end of last year, Coordinating Minister for the People’s Welfare Alwi Shihab said on Wednesday.

The growth rate of the virus here was one of the fastest in the world, with not a single province in the country free from the disease, Antara news agency quoted the minister as saying.

Alwi said the total number of people believed to have HIV/AIDS in the country was estimated at about 150,000, of whom 79.5 percent were people aged between 20 and 39.

“The world’s attention is focused on Indonesia now.” People needed to take serious action to stop the spread of the epidemic, he said.