Russian Health Ministry said 20,000 patients died of HIV positive [Human Immunodeficiency Virus] in 2018. The number of died rose 2.2 percent from the previous year.

Last year, 20,597 people lost their lives due to HIV positive [Human Immunodeficiency Virus], according to a report from the Health Ministry on the subject; the virus was found in 14 of 100,000 people.

The death toll from the virus recorded as 20,045 in 2017, while the rate of increased 2.2 percent in 2018.

Most HIV infections were cited among Russian citizens as the cause of deaths from infection and parasitic diseases, according to the report.

The proportion of deaths linked to HIV infection rose to 3.9 percent in 2005, 57.2 percent in 2017 and 59.5 percent in 2018.

In 2018, 76.7 percent of those who died from HIV infection was in the 25-to 55-year-old range and 16 percent were in the 45-to 55-year-old range. Only 1 percent of those who died were those over the age of 65.

Also in the report, HIV infection was identified as the first-place disease that resulted in death among young people of working age [aged 18-44].

HIV infection, which ranks first as 16 percent, is followed by digestive system diseases with 15 percent, heart diseases with 8 percent, and respiratory system diseases with 5 percent in Russia.

ILKHA