Even as awareness campaigns were held across the State to mark the World AIDS Day to prevent the spread of HIV infection, the numbers of such cases are found to be on the increase year after year.
As per the official figures, there are now nearly 50,000 HIV-infected people in the State with Ganjam district accounting for the highest number of around 16,000. Ganjam is followed by Cuttack district with 6,739 cases.
In the last five years, about 19, 000 new cases have been identified in the State. The prevalence of the dreaded disease is particularly high among people of the age group of 25-49.
“Unprotected sexual intercourse is not the only way how the AIDS spreads. Shaving with a contaminated blade or using a contaminated syringe in hospital or a contaminated blood transfusion also spreads the virus,” said Dr Biswajit Nanda of the BR Life, Kalinga Super Speciality Hospital at an awareness programme.
He also advised people to maintain monogamy and use protection during sexual intercourse.
Amarendra Behera, the first HIV positive detected in Bhubaneswar was invited to share his experience of fighting the infection for around 20 years. “I request you all to extend moral support to the HIV positive people so that they can fight the disease. Rather than the disease, the discrimination against a patient kills him,” he said.