Wednesday, May 25 2005 15:41 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The number of HIV-infected patients in the country has gone up by 28,000, touching 5.134 million, according to data released in New Delhi today (May 25, 2005).

"The estimated number of HIV-infected cases in 2004 has gone up to 5.134 million, marking an increase of 28,000 patients as compared to the previous year," Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss told reporters.

Ramadoss said that the adult prevalence was 9.16 per 1000 population while the overall prevalence for the entire population was 0.91 per cent.

The figure for the HIV infections for 2003 was 5.106 million with a prevalence of 0.9 per cent, he said.

The data puts to rest fears that India might have crossed the numbers vis-a-vis total number of HIV-infected patients in South Africa.