China's Ministry of Health said Thursday that by the end of October 2007, 223,501 people have been officially reported to have contracted HIV, including 62,838 people with fully-blown AIDS.

The Ministry says all together 22,205 have died from AIDS in the past years.

However, according to an estimate made by the Ministry, the World Health Organization and UNAIDS, China will have as many as 700,000 people living with HIV/AIDS, including 85,000 AIDS patients by the end of 2007.

(Xinhua News Agency November 29, 2007)