Beijing reports big drop in new HIV/AIDS cases

China’s capital Beijing reported a significant drop in new HIV/AIDS infections during the January-October period this year, a 47 per cent decrease, health authorities said on Sunday.

The capital city reported 34,289 HIV/AIDS cases from 1985 to October this year, according to the Beijing Municipal Health Commission.

Sexual transmission was the main channel of AIDS prevalence, accounting for 93 per cent of the total infections.

A total of 1,408 new HIV/AIDS cases were reported in the first 10 months of this year, down 47 per cent year on year, the commission said.

Beijing has made antiviral therapy more accessible to AIDS patients at more medical institutions and enhanced HIV testing for high-risk groups, to prevent and control new cases, state-run Xinhua news agency quoted the commission as saying.