AFRICA/MOZAMBIQUE - Alarm in Maputo as HIV infection doubles and life expectancy plummets

Maputo (Agenzia Fides) - In the Maputo province of Mozambique cases of HIV infection doubled in the first six months of 2007 compared with the same period last year. The head of the national HIV/AIDS prevention office said the situation is aggravated by people's sexual behaviour.
In the first six months of 2007 the authorities registered 9,000 cases of HIV infection compared with 4,000 in the same period in 2006. The official rate of HIV infection in Mozambique is 16.3%.
According to Mozambican health ministry statistics, 500 new cases of HIV infection are registered in the country every day, mainly among young people aged 14 to 29. The rapid increase of cases of infection with HIV has reduced life expectancy to 36 years. (AP) (14/11/2007 Agenzia Fides; Righe:16; Parole:155)