Five new cases of HIV/AIDS cases have been detected in the north of the autonomous Papua New Guinea region of Bougainville.
The coordinator of the AIDS office for the Diocese of Bougainville, Stella Morokana, says two of them, referred by Buka hospital, have been put on anti-retroviral treatment.
Ms Morokana says the latest cases bring the total number of people living with HIV/AIDS in North Bougainville to 26 with two thirds of them women.
The Post Courier reports that figures from centres in Arawa and Buin were not available.
Ms Morokana says her office only has a handful of counsellor and other staff, and all key partners on Bougainville need to start taking measures to stop the numbers increasing.
