60% of HIV-positive people in India live in rural areas

About 60% of the approximately 5.2 million adults living with HIV/AIDS in India live in rural areas, according to a report recently released by the World Health Organization, PTI/Financial Express reports.

According to the report, HIV prevalence among adults is about 1% in five of India's 35 states and territories. HIV prevalence among injection drug users in the country has increased from 7% in 2002 to 23% in 2005, the report said. In addition, the report found that HIV prevalence among commercial sex workers in Mumbai has remained between 40% and 50% during the past five years. The report also found that in 18 of 30 districts in the Indian state Maharashtra, HIV prevalence among women visiting government prenatal clinics was 1% or higher. Similar figures were recorded in 16 of 25 districts in Karnataka state, according to the report. The report also found that HIV prevalence among men who have sex with men is between 1% and 40% across 18 areas that have targeted prevention programs. According to the report, 86% of reported AIDS cases in the country were transmitted through sexual contact, PTI/Financial Express reports ( PTI/Financial Express , 4/26).