JIZAN, 2 January 2007 — At least 288 AIDS cases were reported in Jizan since the beginning of 2003 till the end of 2007, according to a Health Ministry official here.
The official, who asked his name not be published, said the 288 cases include six children between the ages of five and 14 years of age. He said 66 cases, including those of three children, were reported across the Kingdom just last year.
The source said that the majority of HIV-positive people are foreigners and that only 40 cases involved Saudis, who included nine women.
Most AIDS cases were discovered through voluntary blood tests, said the source, adding that extramarital sex was the primary cause of infection.
The source revealed that the Ministry of Interior has approved plans to impose compulsory pre-marital HIV tests to curb the spread of the virus.
He added that illegal African immigrants crossing the Red Sea were the most likely source spreading AIDS in Jizan.
