affecting a growing number of women, Health Minister the Hon. Quinton Edness has warned.

The number of people who have contracted the AIDS virus from a sex partner has almost doubled in the past two years, according to the Health Department.

Nearly one quarter of all AIDS cases now are a result of heterosexual intercourse, while the number of cases from homosexual activity and IV drug use are dropping.

The statistics caused Mr. Edness to repeat his call for condom distribution in schools, despite heavy opposition from local headmasters.

The Association of School Principals felt condom distribution in schools was inappropriate. Earlier this month it stated it preferred stepping up sex education, stressing abstinence until marriage. But Mr. Edness said: "We've got a real problem on our hands and the community has got to wake up and face reality.'' Mrs. Carolyn Armstrong, head of the AIDS support group STAR, said it would not surprise her if the number of women with the killer disease swelled by half a dozen this year.

"Men that have gone have left behind sex partners,'' she said. "Although quite a few of the men had stopped drugs and cleaned up their lives, they were already infected and the women did not know it.'' Distributing condoms to already promiscuous teens would go a long way to halting the spread of AIDS to the heterosexual community, said Mr. Edness. He believed the majority of parents would be in favour of the measure if consulted.

However, Education Minister the Hon. Clarence Terceira has said PTA'S "were almost unanimous'' that Government should not enforce the policy.

Nevertheless, Mr. Edness said: "We need to do something to make young people more conscious of changing their lifestyles and protecting themselves.

"If we don't, more women are going to get infected. One person who has the disease and leads a wild lifestyle can affect so many people.

"People argue that condoms are only 80 percent safe, but that's better than nothing. We can try and pretend young kids are not sexually active. But the fact is they are and we need to be realistic about what AIDS can and is doing to society.'' The latest AIDS figures released yesterday showed two new cases developed in May, both in the male 30-39-years-old category.

The total number of AIDS cases for the year now stands at eight, the same number as reported during last January to May.

Of the 226 people known to be infected with the AIDS virus in Bermuda, 108 got it from IV-drug use, 63 from homo/bisexual activity, 44 from their opposite sex partner and 11 from another means.

The statistics further showed 178 of the cases were males and 48 females; and 201 were blacks and 25 whites.