U.N. AIDS chief warns Asia of danger

KOBE, Japan, Jul 02, 2005 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- The United Nations AIDS director warns the disease could explode in Asia if governments there do not take steps quickly to contain the epidemic.

Peter Piot, speaking at a conference in Kobe, Japan, predicted that 12 million people will be infected in the next five years if nothing is done, the BBC reported. An estimated 8.2 million people on the continent are infected now, more than 5 million of them in India.

"An explosive cocktail of risk factors means that if 'business as usual' continues there will undoubtedly be an explosion of AIDS," Piot said.

He said the risks include prejudice against homosexuals, prostitution, drug use, too little testing and too little condom use.