KULOB, October 12, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- Over the first nine months of this year, 62 new HIV infection cases have been registered in the Kulob zone of Khatlon province, bringing the total number of the officially registered HIV sufferers in the area to 300, including 60 women, Amirkhon Ismoilov, the head of Kulob AIDS Center # 2, said.

According to him, 37 new HIV infection cases have been registered in the city of Kulob, 10 in the district of Kulob and the remaining 15 new HIV infection cases have been registered in other districts of the region.

“Of 300 HIV sufferers officially registered in the area, 163 have contracted the virus through injection drug use, 68 others have contracted the HIV infection sexually, four HIV sufferers have been infected through a transfusion of infected blood,” said Ismoilov, “Besides, five cases of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV have been registered in the region and causes in 60 HIV infection cases are unknown.”

He added that 48 HIV sufferers had died and 85 people living with HIV in Kulob were undergoing medical treatment.  Of 300 HIV sufferers officially registered in Kulob, 171 are people aged 30 to 39.