HIV/AIDS cases in Beijing on the rise

The number of HIV/AIDS cases in Beijing has significantly increased in recent years.

According to the Beijing Health Bureau, the number of reported HIV/AIDS cases increased at an annual rate of 17 percent over the past five years.

Most people contracted the virus through sex, and more than 5 percent of gay men in Beijing have contracted the virus, the bureau said.

Also, the number of HIV carriers older than 60 has increased.

To combat the disease, the city has set up 60 locations offering HIV voluntary counseling and free testing, and five laboratories to diagnose the virus. There are also 10 outpatient departments offering methadone treatment. Those departments have treated 3,373 people.