A new action plan to tackle the rising number of HIV cases in Greece will be ready within 10 days, Health Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos said yesterday, arguing that people had let up in their fight against the virus which can lead to AIDS.

“As a society we have relaxed our vigilance,” said Avramopoulos. “As an organized state it is our duty to move forward immediately with policies and actions.”

The new national program is likely to include the creation of a committee of experts who will advise Avramopoulos on the strategy Greece should follow to deal with the virus. One of the areas they will concentrate on is introducing special units into state hospitals to deal with HIV. The Health Ministry’s Center for Infectious Disease Control (KEEL) said last week that the number of HIV cases in Greece this year could surpass the 562 cases recorded last year.