(Nov 18) IN Singapore, HIV-infected people who don't tell their partners risk a fine of up to $10,000, or a jail term of up to two years, or both.

It is up to the partner to decide if they want to go ahead with intercourse and risk infection.

The law was aimed at reducing the number of infections. Yet, there appears to be partners like Andrew who just don't care.

The New Paper reported in 2002 on a woman in her 30s who slept with her boyfriend despite knowing he had Aids.

'I wanted him to know that he is no different from the rest of us. I didn't want him to feel that there was a barrier between us,' she said.

Such cases are rare, said AFA executive director Lionel Lee, noting that the mode of transmission here is usually from husband to wife.

Still, dicing with death for love is not unknown.

Dr Lee Cheng Chuan, who works with the CDC, said in the 2002 report: 'I have known of people who wanted to be HIV positive just to be equal to his or her positive partner. Although this may be an act of true love... it is a foolish thing to do.'

Mr Benedict Jacob-Thambiah, project co-ordinator of AFA, agrees.

'It is irresponsible,' he said. 'If you are going to have sex, always put on a condom.'

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Besides men, women and teens also adopting riskier sexual lifestyles

One in five sexually-active women here don't use protection

Teens becoming sexually active earlier, having unprotected sex with multiple partners

More teens, women getting HIV

In 2005, four boys between ages of 17 and 19 test positive for HIV

Women make up 10 per cent of newly infected with HIV every year

Overall HIV numbers also on rise

In first eight months of this year, 278 new HIV/Aids cases were diagnosed - average of 35 new cases a month, up from last year's 29.

Health Ministry figures estimate total number of HIV/Aids infected Singaporeans to be 9,000.

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