By CHARINA L. ECHALUCE
More than 11,000 new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases were recorded in the Philippines in 2017 as an increasing trend was noted within the last five years, data from the Department of Health (DoH) bared.
According to the HIV/AIDS Registry of the Philippines (HARP) report, 11,103 new HIV cases were reported last year.
The figure is higher than the 9,264 new HIV cases reported in 2016; 7,831 in 2015; 6,011 in 2014; 4,814 in 2013; and 3,338 in 2012.
“Eighty-four percent (42,360) of all the 50,725 diagnosed cases in the Philippines were reported from January 2012 to December 2017,” said the HARP report.
In December 2017 alone, there were 992 HIV cases reported nationwide; 138 of which progressed to AIDS cases while 69 resulted to death.
Of the new cases in December, the most common mode of transmission was still sexual contact with 962 cases. In addition, a total of 604 were acquired through homosexual contact; 237 through bisexual contact; and 121 through heterosexual contact.
Twenty-four HIV cases were acquired by injecting drugs while two cases were from mother-to-child.
The report also showed that 59 overseas Filipino workers acquired HIV in December 2017. All of them were infected through sexual contact.
On the other hand, the regions with the most number of reported cases were from the National Capital Region with 351 or 35 percent of the total cases; CALABARZON with 147 or 15 percent; Central Luzon with 106 with 11 percent; Central Visayas with 74 with seven percent; Western Visayas with 66 or seven percent; and Davao Region with 41 cases or four percent.
Since January 1984, 50,725 HIV cases have been recorded, including 5,080 AIDS cases and 2,466 deaths.