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"HIV carrier sells blood and infects 18
others"
The
Star (www.thestar.com.my)
(04/12/05)
BEIJING: A man in northern China who sold his blood, allegedly without
knowing he was HIV-positive, infected at least 18 others with the virus –
including three who died – the government and state media said yesterday.
The man, identified only by his surname, Song, gave blood 15 times at a
blood bank in Jilin province's Dehui city between January 2003 and June last
year, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
Xinhua did not say whether Song, 41, was paid for the blood, but the China
Youth Daily newspaper said yesterday that he was unemployed and relied on
selling blood for his income.
Blood buying is banned in China but continues to be a problem.
The infected blood, apparently never tested, was given to 25 patients
needing transfusions, Xinhua said.
Eighteen of them contracted HIV and three died, Xinhua said.
Song, 41, also infected two sexual partners and the spouse of one of his
sexual partners, the agency said.
The daily quoted Song as saying he did not know he was HIV-positive until
being diagnosed in October, after officials in Changchun launched an
investigation into blood-related infections.
Eleven officials, including the blood bank's former director and deputy
director, have been detained and will be prosecuted, Xinhua said. — AP
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