The number of people estimated to be living with HIV on China's mainland by the end of this year has risen to 700,000 and the disease continues to be a challenge among high-risk populations, according to a report released yesterday.

The government previously estimated there were 650,000 living with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

In 2007, there were 50,000 new cases, said the report jointly prepared by the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization and UNAIDS.

New HIV/AIDS infections have risen at a slower pace but the disease is rampant in high-risk groups and areas, Health Minister Chen Zhu said yesterday in Beijing.

Sexual contact became the major transmission route with 44.7 percent of 50,000 new HIV carriers this year becoming infected through heterosexual contact, Chen said.

About 42 percent of the new carriers were drug users and infections in homosexual men accounted for 12.2 percent.

By the end of this year, China is likely to have 85,000 AIDS patients and 615,000 HIV carriers, with deaths likely to reach 20,000, he said.

"In the first 10 months of this year, the country has registered 223,501 HIV/AIDS infections, including 62,838 AIDS patients," Chen said.

According to the ministry, 22,205 died from AIDS in the past year on China's mainland, almost double the 12,464 fatalities reported 12 months ago.

"Social organizations, corporations and celebrities play an important role in preventing and controlling AIDS," Chen said.

With the promotion of AIDS knowledge, about 41.4 percent of sex workers used condoms last year, compared with 14.7 percent in 2001, Chen said.

The country has also focused on homosexual men to prevent the disease from spreading, said the minister.

(Shanghai Daily November 30, 2007)