the 12 months to the end of August, new statistics reveal.

And 314 people have died of the disease since the Department of Health began recording AIDS statistics in the early 1980s.

The statistics, released by the Department of Health last week, aso showed that 17 new cases were reported in the 12 month period, bring the total number of cases since record-keeping began to 396.

The report said three people died of AIDS in August, while three new cases were reported. In August, 1996, six new cases and one death were reported.

Between January 1 and August 31, 17 new AIDS cases and ten deaths have been recorded, the statistics said. No comparisons with 1996 were available.

Two of three who died were aged 40 to 49 with one between 30 and 39. One was an intravenous drug user and two were heterosexuals.

Two black males and one black female, all aged between 40 and 49, were diagnosed with AIDS in August. Two of these cases were due to intravenous drug use and one was contracted through a heterosexual partner.

The majority, 303, or 76.5 percent, of those diagnosed with AIDS continues to be males. But the statistics show a growing proportion of women contracting the disease, with eleven males or 64.7 percent being diagnosed with AIDS for the year to date compared to six women (35.3 percent).

No new paediatric AIDS cases or deaths were reported.