China finds sharp rise in HIV cases

Almost 30% more cases of HIV and AIDS were reported in China through October than in all of 2005, the Health Ministry said Wednesday.

The increasing numbers reflect both the continued spread of the epidemic and the impact of better reporting, said Joel Rehnstrom, coordinator of the China office of the United Nations’ AIDS agency, UNAIDS. “There is more, and more reliable, testing being done and a greater willingness of people to come forward,” he said.

Chinese officials said 183,733 cases of HIV or AIDS had been reported through Oct. 31, up from 144,089 in all of 2005.

Drug use accounted for 38% of the reported infections and unsafe sex for 28%, statistics show. In more than 40,000 HIV cases this year, the patient developed AIDS. There were 4,060 AIDS-related deaths, bringing to 12,464 the total reported deaths in China officially attributed to the disease since the mid-1990s.

The new data arrived a day after the United Nations’ annual report on acquired immune deficiency syndrome, which showed the disease surging worldwide and called China’s burgeoning problems “alarming.”

The percentage of cases resulting from sexual contact this year has been nearly triple that of the cases reported before 2002. Government surveys have shown that almost two-thirds of Chinese prostitutes do not make their clients use condoms.

The infection rate among gay men, another group defined as high risk, is now between 1% and 4%, officials said.

Though the overall rate of growth has held relatively steady since 1999, officials noted that the human immunodeficiency virus continued to move beyond traditional high-risk groups, reaching further into the general population.

Pregnant women in rural southwestern Yunnan province had an infection rate similar to that of sex workers, officials found.

China has altered its approach to AIDS substantially since late 2003, launching an aggressive public health campaign after years of denial and cover-ups. It has initiated programs to provide anonymous testing, as well as free condoms, methadone and antiretroviral drugs. The government also has prohibited discrimination against those with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Yet experts and activists still greet government statistics with a measure of skepticism.

The number of HIV and AIDS cases, reported and unreported, is thought to be several times higher than the official figures. When health officials released figures in January revising their estimate of the total number of cases to 650,000 from 840,000, many activists scoffed, believing the actual number to be 1.5 million or more.

Beijing-based AIDS activist Hu Jia said that Wednesday’s report, despite its somewhat grim findings, represented progress of sorts.

“I appreciate the government’s attitude,” he said. “It is becoming more frank, more forthcoming and more practical.

“At least they released this very shocking number. Before, all the statistics released were according to the leaders’ wishes.”

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robin.fields@latimes.com