BELGRADE, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection rate has been going up steadily in Slovenia during the past years, Slovenia's medical officials said on Thursday.

    Head of the sexually transmitted diseases lab Mario Poljak said that 35 new HIV cases were discovered on average in Slovenia between 2005 and 2007, while 46 have already been diagnosed this year, the official Slovenian news agency STA reported.

    Poljak said that Slovenia's HIV infection for this year could be higher as most HIV positive cases are usually discovered in December, following the initiatives related to World AIDS Day observed on Dec. 1.

    Before 2002, 15 cases on average were found every year in Slovenia. The number rose to 25 in the following three years and to 35 in 2004-2007.

    Slovenian Doctor Janez Tomazic said that there are some 280 HIV positive persons in Slovenia at present, 210 of which are being treated. A total of 130 died of AIDS so far in the country.

    Tomazic and Poljak said that despite different campaigns the share of people deciding to get tested for HIV in Slovenia is extremely low, as only 1.5 percent of the population decides for this step every year.

    On Dec. 1, Slovenia's medicine students are organizing the traditional action dubbed "AIDS Doesn't Chose. You Can!" in several major Slovenian cities. As part of the initiative they will hand out information leaflets, condoms and call on people to get tested.