Brasília - The latest report from the Ministry of Health on AIDS in Brazil shows that since 1980 there has been a total 362,364 registered cases of the disease in the country.

For the first time, the 2004 AIDS Epidemiological Bulletin has broken down information on the disease by color and race, revealing that the number of cases has been on the rise among Negroes and dark skinned people, while showing a tendency to stabilize among whites. However, most AIDS cases are still among whites (51.3%), with Negroes and dark skinned people behind (33.4%). Brazilian Indians have 0.17% of all cases of AIDS in Brazil.

The director of Brazil's Sexually Transmitted Disease/AIDS program (DST/Aids), Pedro Chequer, explains that the tendency for AIDS cases to increase among Negroes and dark skinned people is linked to the expansion of the disease among heterosexuals and the educational level of victims.

The bulletin reports that in 2003 there were 32,247 new cases of AIDS. And that during the first six months of 2004, a total of 14,000 new cases were reported. Chequer says that although the numbers are still high, the epidemic is in the process of stabilizing. But he warns that even with reduced cases in some high risk groups, such as drug users and homosexuals, it is not possible to say that the disease is under control.

Agência Brasil
Reporter: Cecília Jorge
Translator: Allen Bennett
12/1/2004