Penza, 16 January 2013. PenzaNews. According to the press service of the regional Service for Consumer Supervision of Russia, 18 out of 40 people with HIV, who discontinued their antiretroviral drug treatment, died in the Penza region in 2012.

“In total, 482 people, or 99,2% of those who needed received supportive treatment during the past year,” the press service explained in an interview with news agency “PenzaNews.”

According to the press service, 230,579 people were examined for HIV infection in the region.

“From January to December, 271 cases of infection were registered in the Penza region. Morbidity rate was 19,58 per 100 thousand people, which is 28,4% higher than in 2011,” the press service added.

They also noted that 34,7% of the infected are young people aged 20–29 years, 45,8% are people aged 30–39 years.

“According to the epidemiological investigation, in 51,3% of all cases sexual transmission prevailed. In 39,9% of cases the infection entered the body with intravenous use of drugs,” the press service summed up.