Udupi: District is out of HIV / Aids red zone

By Snehalatha, Udupi
Bellevision Media Network

Udupi, 30 November 2011: Udupi district is out of HIV – Aids red zone and since the last 3 years the number of aids infections has reduced considerably, said District Aids Control Officer Dr. H. Ashok. He was speaking in a press conference and briefed this good news. In the district in 2009: 994 persons (305 from outer district), until October 2010: 1021 (373 from outer district) and in 2011: 691 (268 from outer district) HIV infected persons have been identified.

 
But, in reality, since the infected persons from outer district have been admitted in the various hospitals of the Udupi district, the district was included in the red zone. But as the number of infected persons is now reduced the district has been included in yellow zone, he said. Though there is no medicine for this decease, with the timely treatment the duration of living can be increased, he said.

 
The deaths due to aids also has now reduced in the district. In 2009: 123 people, 2010: 93 people, until October 2011: 89 people have died due to aids, he said. Similarly in the district in 2009: 43 (5 from outer district), in 2010: 45 (7 from outer district) and until October 2011: 31 (10 from outer district) infected pregnant women have been identified. Among them in the first two years 8 and 5 each had abortion. Also, among the infected pregnant women in 2010: 4 and in 2011: 5 children are infected with HIV, he said.