ST GEORGE'S, Grenada (CMC):

A top health official here is reporting a rise in the number of reported HIV casesfor the first six months of the year.

Director of the National Infectious Disease Control Unit, Dr. Alister Antoine, said the recording of new cases is a result of the ongoing government initiatives, such as the Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) programme.

"There is no doubt that some of the cases being diagnosed this year were influenced by the ongoing VCT programme, which encourages persons to take the test so they can become aware of their HIV status," Dr. Antoine said.