Sun Star, 1 November 2014

PROVING that the transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the country is already "fast and furious", the Department of Health (DOH) reported Saturday more than 500 new cases for the third straight month.

Based on the latest Philippine HIV/AIDS Registry Report, there were 565 new HIV cases recorded in September this year following the 585 in July and 509 in August.

The number brings to 4,473 the number of HIV cases recorded in just the first nine months of the year, with 406 already developing into AIDS cases and 126 deaths.

Since 1984, there are already 20,989 HIV cases recorded in the country, including 1,912 AIDS cases and 1,065 deaths.

In the recent Philippine National Convention on AIDS, DOH – National HIV/AIDS Surveillance and Strategic Information Unit Deputy Manager Noel Palaypayon described the HIV situation as already being "fast and furious".

Palaypayon disclosed how they are projecting the number of people with HIV by end of 2014 as reaching 30,650.

The September 2014 HIV report also showed that the number of new HIV cases is higher than the same period in 2013.

"This was 32 percent higher compared to the same period last year, which was at 427," said the DOH.

Of the 565 new cases, 55 have progressed already to full-blown AIDS cases.

Six, on the other hand, died last September, said the DOH-NEC.

A total of 538 cases (95 percent) of the new cases were acquired through sexual transmission, mostly from the men-having-sex-with-men (MSM) population, which accounted for 438 cases or 81 percent.

Homosexual contact was responsible for 256 cases (48 percent); followed by bisexual contact with 182 cases (34 percent); and 100 cases (19 percent) from heterosexual contact.

Injecting drug use accounted for the 26 new cases while one mother-to-child transmission was also reported.

A total of 63 new cases among overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), meanwhile, have been reported with all coming from sexual transmission.

Homosexual contact was on top among OFWs with 22 cases (35 percent) while heterosexual and bisexual contact had 21 (33 percent) and 20 (32 percent) cases, respectively. (HDT/Sunnex)

Source: Sun Star