‘8 Pinoys contract HIV daily in Sept’

MANILA, Philippines – A total of 253 Filipinos, or an average of 8 Filipinos daily, tested positive for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in September, data from the Department of Health National Epidemiology Center revealed.

The new infections brought to 1,669 the cumulative number of HIV cases discovered from January to September this year, up 40% compared to the 1,201 logged over the same nine-month period in 2010.

HIV causes AIDS, or the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. There is no cure for the disease.

LPG Marketers’ Association party-list Rep. Arnel Ty said the September cases were the highest ever passively detected in a month, and topped by 24% the previous record of 204 infections, or seven cases daily, reported in July.

“We are easily looking at 200 new cases monthly for the rest of 2011, 330 new cases monthly by 2012, and 550 new cases monthly by 2013,” he said in a statement.

Citing National Epidemiology Center (NEC) data, Ty said 240 of the new cases in September were males, while 13 were females. Their median age was 27 years. Those in the 20 to 29 age group comprised 57% of the cases.

He said 53%, or 135, of the new infections were reported in Metro Manila.

The new cases included 16 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) — 11 males and five females, Ty said.

The National HIV and AIDS Registry that inactively tracks the disease now lists an aggregate of 7,684 cases, including 936 with full-blown AIDS.

Ty said 36% of those with full-scale AIDS, or 339 patients, have since died. –abs-cbnNEWS.com