China will contain the number of HIV carriers to less than 1.5 million by the end of 2010, Xinhua reports Health Minister Gao Qiang pledged yesterday on the eve of World AIDS Day.

The central government is spending US$99 million on prevention efforts this year, up from RMB100 million in 2002, the minister said, adding that China was capable of effectively containing the spread of the virus.

The number of HIV carriers in the country was estimated at 840,000 at the end of last year following an investigation by the ministry and the World Health Organization (WHO).

But there were only 135,630 cases, including 31,143 AIDS patients, registered till the end of September, which means a majority of HIV carriers who may or may not know they are infected have not been identified.

Gao said that the ministry and the WHO estimate that China has 70,000 AIDS patients.

Some experts have warned that if no effective measures are taken immediately, the number of HIV carriers in the country could increase to 10 million in 2010.

Unsafe sexual contact will become a major channel for the spread of HIV/AIDS from high-risk groups to the general public, Gao warned.

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