Over 20,000 People Estimated to Be HIV-Positive in Iran: Report
"According to the latest statistics up to June 22, some 3,912 people have been diagnosed as HIV-positive. Of this, 413 people have entered the last stage of the contamination or practically got full-blown AIDS, IRNA reported.
"This figure has increased by 232 cases against the figure six months ago," he said, adding so far 373 Iranians have died of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), **** Hambastegi ***** cited Gooya as telling reporters Saturday.
"This is the break-out of an epidemic and will become pandemic in the near future," gooya further said, it added.
Sixty-five percent of the AIDS patients are drug addicts who have become infected through contaminated shared needles, he said.
The official also sounded alarm over the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, saying the number of patients with this type of the disease had made a striking rise in the Iranian year of 1380 which ended on march 20, 2002 against the year before, the paper said.
"So far, 300,000 cases of infection with various types of sexually transmitted diseases have been reported," Gooya said.
There is no precise figure on the number of AIDS patients since those contaminated are either unaware of their disease or do not reveal their disease because of the social stigma which is attached to the ailment in Iran, Head of Red Crescent Society (RSC) Saeid Rahimi said in May.
About 300,000 addicts are said to be injecting drugs in Iran, and 70 percent of AIDS cases are said to be caused by contaminated shared needles.
thr 023 iran-aids /gnr/ over 20,000 people estimated to be hiv-positive in iran: report tehran, july 7, irna -- sexually-transmitted diseases are spreading fast in iran and some 20,650 people are estimated to be infected with the human immunedeficiency virus (hiv) in the country, press sunday cited the head of the disease control center of the health ministry, mohammad-mehdi gooya as saying.
"according to the latest statistics up to june 22, some 3,912 people have been diagnosed as hiv-positive. of this, 413 people have entered the last stage of the contamination or practically got full-blown aids.
"this figure has increased by 232 cases against the figure six months ago," he said, adding so far 373 iranians have died of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (aids), hambastegi cited gooya as telling reporters saturday.
"this is the break-out of an epidemic and will become pandemic in the near future," gooya further said, it added.
sixty-five percent of the aids patients are drug addicts who have become infected through contaminated shared needles, he said.
the official also sounded alarm over the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, saying the number of patients with this type of the disease had made a striking rise in the iranian year of 1380 which ended on march 20, 2002 against the year before, the paper said.
"so far, 300,000 cases of infection with various types of sexually transmitted diseases have been reported," gooya said.
there in no precise figure on the number of aids patients since those contaminated are either unaware of their disease or do not reveal their disease because of the social stigma which is attached to the ailment in iran, head of red crescent society (rsc) saeed rahimi said in may.
about 300,000 addicts are said to be injecting drugs in iran, and 70 percent of aids cases are said to be caused by contaminated shared needles.