16 new cases of HIV now reported daily, DOH warns

By: Tina G. Santos - 10 years ago

Health Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Sixteen new cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which could lead to the fatal Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), are reported everyday, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

Dr. Eric Tayag, chief of the DOH National Epidemiology Center, said the number of cases reported daily increased from only 12 cases a day in 2013.

Data from the Philippine HIV and AIDS Registry showed that for the month of June, 494 new HIV cases were reported, a 15-percent increase from figures seen in the same period last year.

Out of the 494 new cases, 42 were already full-blown AIDS, the DOH said.

The number of new cases brought to 2,814 the total reported HIV cases from January to June 2014, and to 19,330 from 1984 to 2014.

About 84 percent of the new HIV cases were from the National Capital Region, followed by Calabarzon, Central Visayas, Central Luzon and Davao.

Ninety-eight percent of the cases were males, of which 58 percent belonged to the 20-29 years-old age group.

Of the 494 HIV positive cases, 459 were contracted through unprotected sex, with men having sex with other men as the predominant type of sexual transmission. The rest were infected through needle-sharing among injecting drug users.

Ninety-two percent of the cases were still asymptomatic at the time of reporting, the DOH noted.

A total of 66 deaths were reported from January to June 2014. Of this number, 63 were males.

The highest number of deaths occurred in the 25-29 age group, followed by the 20-24; 30-34; 35-39 and 40-44 age groups, the DOH said.

For the month of June 2014 alone, eight deaths were reported, it added.

As of June, 6,935 people living with HIV were reported to have been undergoing anti-retroviral therapy, the DOH said.

Contracting HIV leads to a condition characterized by the weakening or breakdown of the body’s immune systems.

As part of its intensified campaign against HIV-AIDS, the health department’s National Capital Region office earlier said it has been “flooding” massage parlors, nightclubs and KTV bars, among other establishments, with free condoms and information flyers that promote safe sex.