The Robert Koch Institute reported on Monday, Nov. 26, that 3,000 new infections had been recorded in Germany in 2007 -- 5 percent more than last year.

Despite relatively low infection rates, efforts to fight the disease and raise awareness must continue, said German Health Minister Ulla Schmidt on Monday.

The German government has increased financing of AIDS prevention campaigns by 3 million euros ($4.4 million) this year and agreed on an "action plan" to fight HIV and AIDS.

According to the scientific institute, the largest number -- 34,000 -- of those living with HIV and AIDS are homosexual men. Around 7,500 people were infected with the virus during heterosexual contact. Another 7,000 were infected through intravenous drug use.

A further 9,000 come from countries where HIV infections rates are high, and contracted the virus through heterosexual contact. Some 350 children contracted the virus from their mothers.

Over 9,000 suffer from AIDS

Of the 59,000 with HIV, some 9,500 suffer from AIDS, a collection of symptoms and infections resulting from damage to the immune system caused by the virus. The RKI said around 650 AIDS sufferers had died in Germany since the beginning of this year.

The number of people infected with HIV and suffering from AIDS in Germany has risen steadily since 1995. New infections can only be estimated since the time of infection and diagnosis are often spaced far apart. According to the RKI, the number of newly diagnosed cases was 2,638 in 2006.

"Educational campaigns are working"

In the run up to World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, which seeks to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS, RKI Director Reinhard Kurth stressed that despite the advances of modern medicine, HIV remains incurable and developing proper vaccines proves challenging. Research and prevention must therefore remain "a top priority," he said.

Elisabeth Pott, director of the Germany's Federal Center for Health Education said that "the younger generation must be continually educated and persuaded to take responsibility for their actions. Pott pointed out that around 68 percent of young people between the ages of 16 and 20 regularly use condoms, an increase of 11 percent as compared to a decade ago.

"That shows that the message is getting through," she said.