India’s
HIV cases nearly triple in 2005

New HIV diagnoses in India nearly tripled in 2005, giving the country a total of 5.2 million HIV-positive residents, according to the nation's National AIDS Control Organization, Agence France-Presse reports. Although the number of cases is on a par with that seen in South Africa, India's large population means that the overall HIV prevalence rate is slightly below 1%, far lower than sub-Saharan African nations. Indian health officials say they are working to slow the spread of the disease by focusing on high-risk groups, including sex workers and men who have sex with men. But they say their work is hampered by the fact that as many as 90% of those infected with HIV don't know they're infected. (The Advocate)