The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday ordered a probe into an incident in Unnao district where 40 persons have tested positive for HIV after being administered injections with the same needle by a quack, an official said.

Health minister Siddhartha Nath Singh informed that efforts were on to arrest the quack. The affected persons have been admitted to the Kanpur medical college and were being counselled and treated there, the minister said. Officials informed that a medical camp was organised by the state's health department at Bangarmau in Unnao district on February 3 and during Elisa and other confirmatory tests, 40 persons were found to be infected by HIV.

Locals allege that the quack used to use one syringe for injections on every patient and possibly infected others by a needle used on an AIDS patient. The minister said that the area where the incident took place has lots of truck drivers who stop and use this area for sex. He said that awareness camps will be organised there to prevent this.