More than 300 new HIV/AIDS cases have been confirmed in Beijing over the last six months, bringing the total number of local residents who are HIV/AIDS positive to 3,142.

Guan Baoying, an official with the municipal health bureau, said the discovery of an HIV carrier in the district of Pinggu means all 18 districts and counties of the capital have residents who are HIV positive.

The number of people living with HIV/AIDS in the Chinese capital has grown by 40.6 percent every year since 1998.

The deadly virus which was first spread between drug abusers, sex workers and homosexuals is now appearing in the general population, according to the official.

Guan said that 36.7 percent of people living with HIV and AIDS are drug abusers, 34 percent infected through sexual contact and the remaining were caused by blood transfusions and other causes.

Beijing is planning to open six methadone clinics this year to help drug abusers kick their habit and in a bid to curb the spread of HIV.

(Xinhua News Agency August 4, 2006)