/ 20 July 2005

Infections double in NZ

Estimated worldwide HIV infections: 63 518 205 at 3pm on Wednesday July 20

New Zealand recorded 33 new Aids cases in the first six months of this year, more than double the number reported in the first half of 2004, according to a new Institute of Environmental Science and Research report.

HIV/Aids advocates are concerned that people have become complacent about the disease, especially following a near doubling of the number of newly reported HIV cases in 2003. For about 10 years, New Zealand recorded an average of 80 new HIV cases annually, until that number increased to 154 in 2003 and 157 in 2004. — KaiserNetwork.org