Reported AIDS Cases Rose 6.5% in June

Reported cases of AIDS around the world rose in June by 10,181, or 6.5%, to a total of 167,373 as of July 1, the World Health Organization said Friday.

WHO said the relatively large increase in acquired immune deficiency syndrome was due to updated reports from African and Latin American nations, as well as the United States and several West European countries.

With 95,561 cases, the United States accounts for 57% of the world total, cumulative since WHO began keeping AIDS statistics in 1980. The U.N. agency said 149 countries have reported cases.

Experts say the real world total is probably two to three times higher because countries in Africa and many other parts of the Third World lack detection facilities and are many months late in sending reports.