A total of 1,454 people died of infectious diseases on the Chinese mainland in March, with AIDS being the top cause of death, according to figures released by health authorities.

AIDS resulted in 1,166 deaths last month, according to a statement posted on the website of the National Health and Family Planning Commission, according to China's (Xinhua) News Agency.

Tuberculosis was the second-biggest killer, claiming 168 lives.

In total, 484,896 people tested positive for infectious disease on the Chinese mainland in March, according to the statement.

No cases of Class-A infectious diseases were reported. About 326,664 cases were identified as Class B infectious diseases. Hepatitis, tuberculosis, syphilis, gonorrhea and dysentery accounted for 93 percent of cases in this category, the statement said.

The statement said category C infectious diseases claimed 7 lives in March, with infectious diarrhea, foot-and-mouth disease, and influenza reported most frequently.