July 10: The Health Ministry has detected 32 new HIV positive cases from 1st December 2009 till the 1st of this month, taking the total number of HIV positive cases in the country to 217.

Of the 32 new cases, 10 are corporate and private employees and another 10 are housewives, eight of them are from the business community and the rest are civil servants, farmers, minors and trainees with a case each.

One case is a mother to child transmission.

A news release from the Health Ministry says all the 32 cases got infected 8 to 9 years ago. It also says the ministry is encouraged to see more people with risky behaviour seeking counseling services and treatment facility.

To prevent HIV/AIDS, the ministry is urging every Bhutanese to practice safe sex.