Health officials in east China' s Jiangsu Province have reported 68 cases of the HIV virus and one patient with full-blown AIDS following a study in September of the local incidence of the deadly disease.

From the total, 31 of those with HIV were newly-diagnosed, 2.1 times more than in the same period last year. Twenty-four of them are either foreigners or residents of other provinces.

The majority of those infected are between ages 20 and 29, with the youngest only 15 years old. The officials named sex and shared needles used for drug injections as the main causes, said officials.

The first AIDS patient in the province, a 45-year old man, was identified in May of this year and died in June.

Officials say that the province is now setting up HIV virus test centers in all cities to fight the spread of AIDS. (Xinhua)