DOH records 871 new cases of HIV infections in February

The Department of Health (DOH) said on Friday it recorded 871 new cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections in February alone.

According to the HIV/AIDS Registry of the Philippines, a total of 22 deaths were also recorded during the so-called month of love.

“Sixteen percent, or 135, had clinical manifestations of advanced HIV infection at the time of diagnosis,” the report said. Ninety-seven percent of the cases, or 841, had sexual contact as the mode of transmission.

In addition, 723 cases, or 86 percent, were newly diagnosed infections involving males who had sex with males. A third of the 871 new cases were from Metro Manila.—JULIE M. AURELIO