ULAN BATOR, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- The total confirmed number of HIV-positive individuals and AIDS patients in Mongolia has reached 388, according to a report released by the National Center for Communicable Diseases (NCCD) on Thursday.
The NCCD estimates that the actual number of people living with HIV in the country may be as high as 667. This data was shared in a statement issued in observance of World AIDS Day, marked annually on Dec. 1.
Mongolia, with a population of 3.5 million, is classified as a country with a low prevalence of HIV among the general population. However, the infection is concentrated within high-risk groups, emphasizing the need for targeted prevention and intervention efforts, the NCCD noted.
To date, 66 individuals diagnosed with HIV or AIDS in Mongolia have died. Sexual transmission accounts for approximately 99 percent of all infections, with males comprising about 85 percent of the confirmed cases.
The first HIV case in Mongolia was reported in 1992. ■
