HANOI, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- There have been 132,249 HIV-acquired cases reported in Vietnam nationwide, the Vietnam News Agency reported on Monday, citing the source with the Ministry of Health.

    According to the official statistics released at the 16th Meeting of the ASEAN Task Force on AIDS (ATFOA), which kicked off in Hanoi on Monday, nearly 40,000 people have died of the disease in the country so far.

    Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien warned that Vietnam is facing the risk of the disease's expansion to the general population in other localities.

    The ATFOA meeting, which will wrap up on Nov. 5, is expected to focus on the emerging issues put forth in the 15th Meeting held in Thailand in 2007, exchanging dialogues on cooperation with the international partners and organizations and approval of the ATFOA meeting's report, according to the Vietnam News Agency.