DOH reports 393 new HIV cases in April

MANILA, Philippines — The Department on Health reported 393 new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases in April this year.

This brought to 18,341 the total number of HIV cases from 1984 to 2014 of which 16,661 (91 percent) were asymptomatic and 1,680 ( nine percent) were full-blown AIDS cases.

From January to April 2014, there were a total of 44 deaths. For the month of April, there were seven deaths reported.

Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy, DOH spokesperson, assured that they are continuously addressing the issues especially among vulnerable groups – the men who have sex with men (MSM) groups, needle sharing among injecting drug users and commercial sex workers.

The DOH’s latest HIV and AIDS Registry reported that of the 393 new HIV cases in April, 96 percent were male with median age of 28 years. The 20 to 29 years age group had the most number of cases at 59 percent.

Reported modes of transmission were sexual contact (361) and needle sharing among injecting drug users (32) while males having sex with other males is still the predominant mode of transmission and most of the cases were still asymptomatic at the time of reporting.

In 2014, 93 percent (1,706) were infected through sexual contact, seven percent (118) through needle sharing among injecting drug users and one infected through mother to child transmission.

The DOH also reported 209 HIV-positive overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) workers) in 2014, bringing to 2,847 the total number of HIV positive OFWs since 1984.

As of April 2014, there were 6,437 people living with HIV presently on anti-retroviral therapy. These are the combined numbers of adult and pediatric patients currently enrolled and accessing Anti-Retroviral drugs in the 18 treatment hubs listed in the country. –Philippine News Agency