HANOI, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- There has been 135,171 HIV positive people reported in Vietnam nationwide, the local newspaper New Hanoi reported on Monday.

    Of the HIV-accquired cases, 29,134 had full-blown AIDS and 41,418 died of the disease in the country so far, the daily quoted the source with the Ministry of Health (MoH) as saying.

    Local health officials warned that Vietnam is facing the risk of disease's expansion to young population. HIV-acquired cases aged from 20 to 39 increased to 89 percent from 15 percent, according to MoH.

    People with HIV live in all of the country's provinces and cities. Ho Chi Minh City has the highest number of HIV/ AIDS cases, followed by two northern provinces of Quang Ninh and Hai Phong of Vietnam.

    At a meeting held on Sunday in Hanoi on the occasion of the World AIDS Day, which is marked on Dec. 1 Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh Trong urged the whole nation to redouble efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS, with focus on the changing social behaviors to AIDS victims.

    Trong also called for more financial resources and support from government and international organizations involved in HIV/AIDS prevention programs in Vietnam.