AIDS Now China’s Deadliest Disease

Jacksonville – The Associated Press reported on Thursday that AIDS is now the top killer among infectious diseases in China. Almost 7,000 people died of AIDS in from January through September of last year according to the Chinese Ministry of Health.

The Xinhua News Agency also quotes government statistics indicating that the number of HIV infections rose from 135,630 to 264,302 since 2005.

One possible factor for the sudden jumps in reported case is the Chinese government’s increasing acknowledgment of AIDS as a real and serious problem. In recent years, leaders have advocated for free, anonymous testing and measures to prevent discrimination against known carriers of HIV. But many people are still afraid to get tested, and the government continues to keep tight reins on AIDS victim advocacy groups.

Some organizations still believe the reported figures of those who are HIV-positive are still far lower than reality. Both the Chinese government and UNAIDS have estimated the actual number of Chinese citizens who are HIV-positive to be closer to 700,000 — far higher than the reported numbers.

Moving from the third deadliest disease in China in 2005, AIDS now leads tuberculosis and rabies as the top killer. Health authorities claim that unprotected sex is the leading factor in the spread of the disease.