HONG KONG - Young gay men are now becoming the majority of HIV virus carriers, a latest study by Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection has revealed.

Dr. Wong Ka-hing of the center said that unlike before, those aged between 20 and 29 now make up the majority of the group. " Some were below 20 years," he said.

The number of new HIV cases recorded in the first half of the year hit a record high of 352. That represents a 16-percent rise from the same period last year. Most of the cases involved men who had sex with men.

The total number of HIV virus infection cases recorded in Hong Kong since 1984 has reached 7,354, according to the center.