XN000022-1993-12-23 — Page 14

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1993

FIVE MORE HIV INFECTED CASES CONFIRMED

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FOUR MEN AND A WOMAN WERE FOUND TO BE POSITIVE FOR THE HIV ANTIBODY TEST LAST MONTH (NOVEMBER), THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ANNOUNCED TODAY (THURSDAY).

413.

THIS BRINGS THE NUMBER OF HIV INFECTED PERSONS IN HONG KONG TO

ONE NEW AIDS CASE WAS REPORTED DURING THE MONTH.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CONFIRMED AIDS CASES IS 92 WITH 63 DEATHS. THE 29 OTHERS ARE EITHER UNDER COUNSELLING AND TREATMENT OR HAVE LEFT THE TERRITORY.

OF THE 413 HIV INFECTED, 302 ACQUIRED THE INFECTION SEXUALLY, NINE WERE INJECTING DRUG USERS, AND 65 ACQUIRED THE INFECTION THROUGH CONTAMINATED BLOOD OR BLOOD PRODUCTS BEFORE 1985 WHEN HIV ANTIBODY TEST AND SAFE HEAT TREATED CLOTTING CONCENTRATES WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

FOR THE REMAINING 37, THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE WAS INADEQUATE FOR CLASSIFICATION.

UNDER THE HIV SURVEILLANCE PROGRAMME WHICH STARTED IN 1985, A TOTAL OF 305,779 BLOOD SPECIMENS HAVE BEEN TESTED FOR THE RIV ANTIBODY.

THE HONG KONG RED CROSS BLOOD TRANSFUSION SCREENED ALL BLOOD DONORS FOR AIDS.

SERVICE HAS ALSO

UP TO LAST MONTH, 1,338,032 UNITS OF BLOOD HAD BEEN TESTED 29 DONORS WERE FOUND POSITIVE.

AND

TRANSPORT ARRANGEMENTS FOR BUDDHA INAUGURAL CEREMONY

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SPECIAL PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES WILL BE LAID ON FOR THE INAUGURAL CEREMONY OF THE TIAN TAN BUDDHA STATUE AT PO LIN MONASTERY, NGONG PING, NEXT WEDNESDAY (DECEMBER 29).

ANNOUNCING DETAILS OF THE SERVICES TODAY (THURSDAY), A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SAID SPECIAL OVERNIGHT FERRY SERVICES WOULD BE OPERATED FROM CENTRAL TO MUI WO FROM 1 AM UNTIL 6 AM ON THE DAY AT A BASIC FREQUENCY OF ONE HOUR.

ADDITIONAL FERRY SERVICES FROM MUI WO ΤΟ CENTRAL WILL BE FROM 2 PM UNTIL 6 PM ON THE SAME DAY FOR RETURNING

STRENGTHENED PASSENGERS.

ON BUS SERVICE, ROUTE NO. 2 BETWEEN MUI WO AND NGONG PING OPERATED BY THE NEW LANTAU BUS COMPANY WILL BE STRENGTHENED.

/IN ADDITION,