

KOCHI: The state reported as many as 4,477 new HIV cases in the past three years. Of these, 3,393 are men and 1,065 are women. 90 new cases reported are pregnant women.
Speaking at a press conference held in Kochi on Saturday, Dr Rashmi Madhavan, the Kerala State Aids Control Society joint director, said that 850 new cases were reported in Ernakulam.
“The large number of guest workers and the increase in drug use have resulted in the rising number of cases in Ernakulam.
The figures indicate the need to intensify preventive activities among young people,” she said, adding that the state reports a lesser number of cases than the national average.