HANGZHOU, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- East China's Zhejiang province reported 4,544 new HIV/AIDS cases in the first ten months of this year, up 3 percent compared to last year, according to health authorities.

As of October, 26,575 HIV carriers and AIDS patients are living in Zhejiang, according to the provincial center for disease control and prevention.

Sexual intercourse is the main channel for contracting HIV in Zhejiang, accounting for 97.5 percent in the newly reported cases between January and October, said Cao Qifeng, deputy director of the provincial health commission.

Homosexual transmission led to 38.4 percent of the newly reported HIV/AIDS cases, up 5.6 percent compared to last year, while heterosexual transmission made up 59.1 percent with a 3.7-percent increase year on year, Cao said ahead of World AIDS Day on Dec. 1.

Some 89.9 percent of HIV carriers and AIDS patients received anti-virus treatment as of October, with the treatment success rate standing at 95.9 percent.

Currently, there are 1,831 HIV/AIDS test laboratories in Zhejiang.