Number of those infected with HIV virus jumps by 98 in first six months

Specialists have revealed that the Czech Republic saw an increase of 98 new cases of HIV infection since the beginning of 2010 – compared to 75 the previous year. The information was released on Friday by the director of the House of Light in Prague, dedicated to helping AIDS sufferers. In all, 1,442 people have contracted the HIV virus in the Czech Republic. Of those, 1,160 are men. According to statistics, the highest number of people with HIV in the country live in Prague (578), followed by the regions of Central Bohemia and Pardubice. More than half of the cases are people who are reportedly contracted the disease through homosexual or bisexual activity, 30 percent heterosexual sex, and the rest through drug abuse - using dirty needles. One percent, ČTK said, contracted HIV through blood transfusions.