XXXX epidemic runs riot in South Africa.

@entity1 @entity10479 @entity791 @entity645
Based on current health surveys in South Africa, the @entity645 and @entity791 epidemic there is spreading faster than health workers can develop a policy to combat it. 120 million male and 90,000 female condoms have been distributed to the areas that are most affected. According to Health Minister Nkosazana Zuma, the percentage of @entity645 -positive pregnant @entity1 in the North-West Province rose from 8.3% in 1995 to 25% in 1997. In June 1996, 1.7 million @entity1 were at risk; this number rose to 2.5 million in 1997, 90,000 of whom will develop advanced @entity791 by the end of the year. According to independent researchers, 800 @entity1 are infected daily, which means that 16% of South Africa's workers are already infected. This figure could rise to 20% by the year 2000 according to Professor Ronald Green-Thompson. At that time, the cost to the South African economy would be between @entity10479 25 million and @entity10479 2.3 billion. The World Health Organization (WHO) is touring provinces for the first time to select sites for use by assessment teams in July. Dr. Liz Floyd, head of the @entity645 / @entity791 and communicable diseases unit, states that, although @entity10479 6.1 million ( @entity10479 2.3 million more than in 1996) have been designated to fight the epidemic, new measures have to be found to avoid an infection rate of 1 in 5 young @entity1 by the end of the year. The unit conducts annual surveys among @entity1 attending public prenatal clinics. Infection appears to be linked to poverty, migration, family breakdowns, and prostitution. The greatest increase has been among @entity1 aged 20-24 years. According to Floyd, "the supply of condoms is still uneven and unreliable, especially in high density peri-urban settlements and shanty towns. Primary care for the youth and home-based schemes are poorly coordinated and erratic." Zuma believes that schools should be targeted; she hopes to educate @entity1 in 7400 secondary and 13,500 primary schools. Donor agencies, churches, workers, and business @entity1 have become involved, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu and President Nelson Mandela, who are appearing on radio and television to promote condom use.
