AIDS has become China’s deadliest enemy with 6,897 people dying from the disease in the first nine months of 2008, according to Xinhua News Agency, citing the Ministry of Health.

 

By the end of September last year, the number of people newly infected with HIV nearly doubled to 264,302 from 135,630 in 2005.

 

Although no explanation has been given for this increase, a possible reason could be the fact that the Chinese government has improved reporting of HIV/AIDS statistics in recent years after acknowledging the presence of the disease.

 

AIDS was previously the third deadliest infectious disease in China following tuberculosis and rabies. It appears that in 2008 AIDS managed to overtake both of them becoming the number one killer. It is now followed by tuberculosis, rabies, hepatitis and infant’s tetanus.

 

Since the infection was first discovered in China in the 1980s, 34,864 people have died from it, the report reads.

 

According to UNAIDS and Chinese government, the number of people living with HIV in China is actually about 700,000, much higher than the confirmed number of infections. About 85,000 of those have AIDS.

 

Sex seems to be the major reason of concern when referring to HIV transmission, followed by drug abuse and accidental infections. As the country passes through a period of rapid social change, the number of people having sex outside marriage institution has increased. Also, people seem to accept more and more the idea of premarital sex, which also increases the risk of HIV transmission.