58 new HIV cases recorded in WV

The number of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases in Western Visayas continues to increase.

In August this year, the Department of Health (DOH-6) recorded 58 new cases of HIV. This is equivalent to one person getting HIV every 13 hours.

Fifty-five of these newly infected people were males and only three were females.

One was above 50 years old, 6 were aged between 35 to 49, 36 were from the 25-34 years old bracket, and 15 from the 15 to 24 years old bracket.

According to the DOH, 13 had clinical manifestations of being advanced HIV infections or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The rest were asymptomatic cases.

The latest figure constituted 6% of the total new HIV cases nationwide.

The National Capital Region (31%) still accounted for the biggest number of new HIV cases, followed by Calabarzon (17%), Central Luzon (11%), and Central Visayas (10%).

The DOH said sexual contact remains to be the most common mode of transmission.

Meanwhile, the number of HIV cases in Iloilo City remained highest in WV.

Out of 2,741 HIV cases in the region from January 1986 to August 2018, the city registered 719.

The province of Iloilo came in second with 547, followed by Negros Occidental, 474; Bacolod City, 441; Capiz, 184; Aklan, 178; Antique, 143; and Guimaras 55.

HIV, according to the DOH, “is a viral infection that attacks and slowly destroys the immune system of the infected person that leads to immune deficiency.”

“It is progressive and can lead to lack of body defense to all kinds of infection including those that don’t normally infect man and can also lead to cancer susceptibility,” it said.

SOURCE: Iloilo Metropolitan Times

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