More than 40,000 were found HIV positive out of about 2 million people in initial AIDS screenings this year in China, said Health Minister Gao Qiang in Beijing Wednesday at a press conference.

These people included paid blood donors, drug addicts and employees in entertainment sites.

China is carrying out an assessment of the country's AIDS epidemic situation together with experts from the World Health Organization and the United Nations, Gao said.

"The assessment will reflect China's AIDS situation in a more objective and accurate way," he said. "We'll publicize the results in time."

China's state-grade AIDS monitoring sites rose to 247 in late 2004, a sharp comparison with 194 at the end of 2003.

China has so far organized 2,686 working teams specially designed for AIDS prevention among high-risk people.

(Xinhua News Agency November 30, 2005)