New HIV/AIDS cases surge in Beijing

Beijing reported 501 new HIV/AIDS cases in the first five months this year, an 21.9 percent increase over the same period last year, local health officials said yesterday.

Among the new cases, 44 percent were male homosexuals, said Deng Ying, director of the Beijing Disease Control and Prevention Center.

As a group, homosexuals accounted for the highest infection rate, and the rate is continuing to rise, Deng said.