Over 70 people 'contracted HIV from transfusions in China'
25/01/2010
A total of 74 people were infected with HIV over ten years ago in China after they received contaminated blood transfusions, it has been discovered.
Director of the health bureau in Daye City, Hubei Province, Li Songquan, told Xinhua News that it realised in 2003 that it had bought blood from infected people in the past.
It then attempted to trace others who had donated before 1998 and discovered that over 20 sellers had given blood that was infected.
The buying of blood was banned during this year with the advent of the Blood Donation Law, which also made the testing of all supplies for HIV compulsory, the newspaper added.
Many of those who contracted HIV due to the transfusions are farm workers from Jinniu Town, Ezhou and Jiangxia.
Mr Songquan explained to the newspaper: "There have been no reports of further cross-infection."
In November, a study conducted by the United Nations found that 40 per cent of new HIV cases diagnosed in China are contracted through heterosexual sex, while homosexual sex accounts for 32 per cent of cases.
Written by Clare Devlin
