Jakarta – The official number of HIV/AIDS cases in Indonesia now stands at 1,283, although health experts predicted the real figure could be as high as 350,000 or more, a senior official said.

"According to the latest official report from the Health Ministry dated June 30, 2000, there are 1,283 HIV/AIDS cases, consisting of 331 AIDS patients and 952 HIV-positive patients, based on a very limited number of blood tests," the Indonesian Observer daily Thursday quoted Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare and Poverty Eradication Basri Hasanuddin as saying.

He said that most of the HIV/AIDS cases recorded in the country were transmitted through heterosexual contact. Eight of cases involved mothers passing the incurable disease on to their offspring, he said, adding several cases were also caused by intravenous drug users sharing unclean needles.

"If we don't break our silence in this time of dire need, a disaster may soon engulf our people," Hasanuddin added. Earlier, an official of the Health Ministry said that the number of those infected with HIV has shown an alarming increase in Indonesia this year, with the total number of new sufferers in the first five months of 2000 nearly being equal to last year's 12- month total.