HIV INFECTION RATE STILL WORRYING

LUMUT (Perak, Malaysia), Oct 18 (Bernama) -- Some 87,000 people in Malaysia were
identified to have been infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV),
with the average rate of 10 people being infected daily, said Malaysian AIDS
Council president Mohd Zaman Khan.

"The increase in the number of HIV-infected people in the country is very
worrying and should be given proper attention.

"Since the first HIV case was reported in 1986, Malaysia was said to have
striven to check the spread of the deadly disease (AIDS) but to no avail," he
told Bernama after the opening of a seminar and exhibition on HIV/AIDS and
Islamic Forum at the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) base, here, Sunday.

He said only in the past few years, had efforts to combat HIV infection in the
country shown some positive results.

Mohd Zaman said public perception of people living with HIV/AIDS, however, was
still worrying to the extent of causing the HIV carriers to be afraid to coming
forward to seek treatment.

"I believe public awareness and concern about HIV/AIDS are key to preventing
infection and reducing the casualties," he added.