AIDS increasingly spreads in Russia

The number of HIV carriers and AIDS patients by the end of 2000 increased to 57 per 100,000 citizens - a 4-fold increase since the start of the year, the State Statistics Committee says in a report based on figures provided by the Russian Health Ministry's Centre for Preventing and Combating AIDS. From January 1st, 1987, to December 31, 2000, a total of 83,054 HIV- carriers and AIDS patients were revealed, including 1,135 children aged under 14, among them 427 children born to HIV-infected mothers. HIV and AIDS cases were registered in 86 Russian regions last year, according to Interfax.