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THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 1989

"MOST AT

THE CHAMPIONS FROM THE 19 DISTRICTS WILL COMPETE FOR THE MUSICAL FAMILY" AWARD IN THE FINALS WHICH ARE SCHEDULED TO BE HELD THE HONG KONG ACADEMY FOR PERFORMING ARTS ON MARCH 24.

WINNERS OF THE PRELIMINARY CONTESTS IN VARIOUS RECEIVE CASH PRIZES.

DISTRICTS WILL

THE CHAMPION, THE FIRST RUNNER-UP AND THE SECOND RUNNER-UP IN THE FINALS WILL BE AWARDED TROPHIES AND CASH PRIZES OF $5,000, $3,000 AND $1,000 RESPECTIVELY, DONATED BY THE YAOHAN DEPARTMENT STORE.

"THE COMPETITION NOT ONLY PROVIDES A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DISPLAY OUR MUSICAL TALENT, BUT ALSO ENABLES US TO IMPROVE OUR FAMILY RELATIONSHIP AS WE HAVE TO DEPEND ON EACH OTHER TO STRIVE FOR A COMMON GOAL," A MEMBER FOR ONE PARTICIPATING TEAM SAID.

ONE MORE AIDS PATIENT CONFIRMED

THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT TODAY (THURSDAY} CONFIRMED THAT ONE MORE AIDS (ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME} PATIENT HAS BEEN REPORTED IN HONG KONG.

THIS BRINGS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF AIDS PATIENTS ΤΟ 16. ELEVEN

OF THE PATIENTS HAVE DIED, INCLUDING ONE FEMALE PATIENT.

THE NEW PATIENT IS A MAN WHO ACQUIRED THE DISEASE SEXUALLY.

RELEASING THE MONTHLY STATISTICS ON THE AIDS SURVEILLANCE PROGRAMME FOR NOVEMBER LAST YEAR, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT SO FAR 116 CARRIERS HAVE BEEN DETECTED, EXCLUDING THE 16 PATIENTS.

THE DEPARTMENT BEGAN THE SURVEILLANCE PROGRAMME IN 1985 ΤΟ MONITOR THE SPREAD OF THE DISEASE.

UNDER THE PROGRAMME, CERTAIN HIGH RISK GROUPS INCLUDING HAEMOPHILIACS, INTRAVENOUS DRUG ABUSERS AND SEXUALLY PROMISCUOUS PEOPLE ARE TESTED FOR THE HIV ANTIBODIES.

A TOTAL OF 111,916 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TESTED SO FAR AND 132 WERE FOUND TO BE POSITIVE.

THESE 132 PERSONS INCLUDE 53 HAEMOPHILIACS, 12 PATIENTS WHO ATTENDED SOCIAL HYGIENE CLINICS, 36 PATIENTS FROM GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS AND CLINICS AND 31 REFERRALS FROM PRIVATE DOCTORS AND SUBVENTED ORGANISATIONS.

AT THE SAME TIME, THE HONG KONG RED CROSS BLOOD SERVICE HAS ALSO SCREENED ALL BLOOD DONORS FOR AIDS. UP LAST YEAR, 489,124 UNITS OF BLOOD HAD BEEN TESTED AND FOUND TO BE POSITIVE.

TRANSFUSION ΤΟ NOVEMBER SEVEN WERE

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