ASTANA, October 3 (RIA Novosti) - The number of children infected with the HIV virus in the South Kazakhstan Region in a blood transfusion scandal has climbed to 72, regional health authorities said Tuesday in a statement.
Earlier reports said a total of 69 children tested positive for the HIV virus following blood transfusions, five of whom have already died. Five adults also tested positive.
A total of 9,093 children out of 10,175 who had contact with HIV-infected children, have been examined, the statement said.
The Kazakh Prosecutor General's office earlier said a criminal case was launched in July. Kazakh Health Minister Yerbolat Dosayev and regional governor Bolat Zhalkyshiyev were dismissed in mid-September in connection with the case.
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev took the investigation into the infection case under his personal control.
