Free HIV tests available

• Source: Global Times
• [02:26 November 27 2009]
• Comments

By Yang Jie

A total of 1,105 new AIDS cases including HIV carriers have been found in Beijing from January to October this year, of which 78 percent are non-Beijingers from other provinces and abroad, according to statistics released by the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau Thursday.

The sufferers are mainly young and middle-aged people, more than 70 percent of whom were infected through high risk sexual behavior and 11 percent through intravenous drug use.

Deng Xiaohong, the deputy chief of the Municipal Health Bureau, said that the AIDS situation in Beijing is still severe, with numbers increasing every year, including a large proportion through same sex relationships.

To effectively prevent the spread of the HIV virus in Beijing, various measures have been taken over recent years. Deng said that almost all starrated hotels, nightclubs, bathhouses and even large and medium-sized construction sites have been equipped with automatic condom dispensing machines.

Free HIV tests are available at Centers for Disease Control in all Beijing districts, and the organizations that conduct the examination will ensure privacy for every one that has the HIV test.

According to related regulations enacted in 2007, those applying to live in China from abroad need to have a physical examination before coming and must present a valid health certificate which contains HIV test results.