There are 273 new HIV positive people, 157 men and 116 women were diagnosed with the disease in the first half of 2008 according to the Health Protection Inspec-torate. The number of people with the HIV virus was the highest in Tallinn 's 109. Narva has 84 new HIV positives and 52 in East Viru County. In Harju and Tartu Counties the number was 11, five in Laane Viru County and one in Rapla county. Twenty-two prisoners have been diagnosed as HIV positive. Most of the infected are between ages 20 and 34, two of them, a boy and a girl were four years old and also a woman older than 65 years had been diagnosed as HIV positive. In Estonia there are 6637 virus carriers and 22 people who with full blown AIDS.
The heads of eight foreign affairs committees of the Nordic and Baltic countries (NB8) discussed the security of the Baltic Sea in Parnu. This meeting was organized by Sven Mikser, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee for the Social-Democratic Party. According to him, the security of the Baltic Sea depends on various things. This includes energy security, environmental issues, cyber security and military capability. The chairman of NB8 underlined the need for countries of the Baltic Sea region to cooperate with each other and Russia.
Estonia will send three new soldiers to Afghanistan to replace those who are no longer fit for action. Maj. Peeter Tali told BNS that the names of the replacements are already known and they will leave after Midsummer's Day. The new men will replace the two infantry men who were badly injured on June 11 in Helmand Province, and also Sgt. Maj. Ivar Brok who died in an accident on May 23. Estonian defense forces have been taking part in the international security assistance force, led by NATO, since 2003.
Spain will represent Estonia in 17 countries on issuing visas. On June 16 Foreign Minister Urmas Paet met his colleague from Spain, Miguel Moratinos. According to Paet the goal is to make coming to Estonia easier, it will make applying for visa easier for those countries where Estonia does not have a foreign mission. Spain will only be able to issue visas, for other consular questions the contract does not apply. For all other visas than short term visa, transit visa, airport transit visas, person still has to go to nearest foreign mission of Estonia. The countries are: Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panamas, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Uruguay and Venezuela.
