H

ealth authorities in Merauke, Papua, disclosed that they have found eight new cases of HIV in January through voluntary testing, while authorities in Banyumas, Central Java, said an average of seven people were infected with the disease every month.

"The eight people were detected after 189 people took voluntary counseling and testing *VCT*. Two of the eight new cases are prostitutes," Joseph Rinta, Merauke Health Agency head, told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

"Finding eight new cases of HIV is a good sign, because it means the public is more aware about checking themselves. Usually, we only find new cases after the disease has progressed to AIDS."

The testing was conducted by the Reproductive Activity Center (PKR).

Joseph said recognizing people as HIV-positive would enable health officials to ask the sufferers to take antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, as ARV drugs have little effect after the disease has entered AIDS stage.

"We will give counseling to the new eight patients and their families," he said.

"ARV has been proven to maintain patient's health so that HIV does not rapidly degrade into AIDS."

The center has recorded 1,036 cases of HIV/AIDS, from which 60 patients have already died. Currently, 70 HIV patients are consuming ARV drugs.

"PKR's presence is really helpful in finding HIV-positive residents because 200 people can visit the center daily to be tested for HIV/AIDS as well as for other sexually transmitted diseases," Joseph said.

Data from the Papua Health Agency shows that by September 2008, there were 4,305 HIV/AIDS cases consisting of 2,263 HIV cases and 2,042 AIDS cases, including 382 fatalities.

Most cases are found in the 20-29-year age range, followed by the 30-39-year age range.

The head of the contagious diseases control division at the Banyumas Health Agency, Ani Pratiwi, said her office recorded 323 HIV/AIDS patients during 2008, consisting of 253 HIV cases and 70 AIDS cases. There were 36 fatalities.

"The rising level of HIV/AIDS in Banyumas is a cause for grave concern. It's the tip of the iceberg. These are just the cases recorded by our office. The real number may be bigger," Ani told the Post on Thursday.

Ani said Banyumas ranked second in the number of HIV/AIDS cases in Central Java, after Semarang regency, while Surakarta was ranked third.

As many as 1,359 people contracted HIV in the province last year, with 502 showing signs of AIDS and 202 deaths.

Ani attributed the high infection rate to widespread prostitution in the regency, such as at the Baturaden tourist resort area where at least 250 sex workers operate freely.