Amritsar most vulnerable to AIDS, says report

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, March 8

Fazilka district, with 0.51 per cent HIV-positive cases, has the lowest incidence of the dreaded disease. The latest report of the Punjab State AIDS Control Society stated Amritsar district was the most vulnerable to HIV, with 3.27 per cent positive cases. The state’s average is 1.67 per cent.

Jalandhar is placed second with 2.93 per cent HIV positive cases. Perusal of the fresh report up to January 2015 revealed that of the total 35,769 persons of Fazilka district tested at the Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres, 181 were found HIV-positive.

In Amritsar district, out of the 3,71,871 persons tested, 12,146 were found HIV-positive. In Jalandhar, out of 1,59,975 persons tested, 4,684 were found HIV-positive.

Patiala district has 2.14 per cent HIV-positive cases, Faridkot 1.99, Tarn Taran 1.98, Moga 1.62 and Gurdaspur 1.51. Ludhiana district has 1.34 per cent HIV-positive cases. As many as 5,032 persons of the 3,76,001 tested were found HIV-positive. Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district has 1.29 per cent HIV-positive cases, Bathinda 1.26, Ferozepur 1.24, Kapurthala 1.09, Pathankot 1.08, Hoshiarpur 1.06, Ropar 1, Sangrur 0.95, Fatehgarh Sahib 0.83, Mansa 0.67, Barnala 0.63 and Mohali, Muktsar 0.52 per cent each.