Guangzhou - The public health authority in south China's Guangdong Province on Wednesday said HIV infections are falling, but the number of patients with full-blown AIDS in the province is rising.

There were 3,759 reported cases of HIV in the first ten months of the year, down 22.1 percent from a year ago. During the same period of this year, 675 HIV carriers developed AIDS, a rise of 13.3 percent from a year ago, and 285 died of the syndrome which currently has no cure, according to a statement from the provincial bureau of public health.

It is the second year running Guangdong has had a drop in the number of HIV carriers. 2006 was the first time the province experienced a fall in numbers.

Officials attributed the drop to arduous efforts by the Guangdong province to combat the spread of the killer disease across the province, including popularization of methadone treatment, free anti-viral treatment, and improved HIV/AIDS awareness among the public.

By October 31 this year, Guangdong had 21,966 reported cases of HIV carriers, of whom, 2,352 had developed into AIDS patients and 962 had died.

Experts, however, estimate there are 49,000 HIV carriers across Guangdong, an economic powerhouse. HIV/AIDS pandemic has been spreading across in the province by means of intravenous drug injections, sexual activity and mother-to-baby mode.

Guangdong has built 42 methadone clinics so far, of which, 35 have begun operation. Since January 2006, these operational methadone clinics have treated 7,150 drug addicts.