HIV cases on rise in Darbhanga

Darbhanga, Nov 21 (UNI) Even after several ongoing awareness drives meant for sensitising people towards AIDS, the number of HIV positive cases continues to rise in Bihar.

Of 1,594 clinically examined people, 360 tested HIV positive in Darbhanga district this year, official sources said here yesterday.

Till last year, the number of such cases detected was around four to five a month. However, since June this year, on an average 36 HIV positive cases were being detected every month.

Giving details of the number of cases detected every month since the beginning of this year, the sources said only two HIV positive cases were found in January, while in February the number rose to 14. In March, the number in the district was 24, in April it was 22, and in May the number of HIV positive cases were 24. The number alarmingly rose to 44 in June this year.

Head of the department of Microbiology in Darbhanga Medical College Hospital Dr R C Yadav said the number of people turning up for undergoing clinical test has increased since the opening of the ''Antiretroviral Therapy Centre'' at the hospital.

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