MORE than 1,000 new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases were recorded in the month of May, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

Based on the May 2019 HIV/Aids Registry of the Philippines, there were 1,092 new HIV cases recorded in the said month.

The number is higher than the 950 new HIV cases recorded in May 2018.

The DOH also reported 53 deaths from HIV/AIDS for the month of May 2019.

For the first five months of 2019, there are now 5,366 new HIV cases, including 919 Aids cases, and 303 deaths.

Of the total May 2019 cases, 17 percent or 190 cases had clinical manifestations of being advanced HIV infection or acquired immunodeficiency deficiency syndrome (Aids).

Sexual contact remains the predominant mode of transmission with 1,059 (97 percent), of which 902 (85 percent) are males who have sex with males (MSM).

Male-to-male sex accounted for 642 cases followed by 260 of those having sex with both male and female, and 157 from male-to-female sex.

Needle sharing among injecting drug users accounted for 14 cases.

There were also six cases of mother-to-child transmission while another 13 cases had no data on the mode of transmission, said the Health department.

Almost one-third (31 percent, 339) were from the National Capital Region (NCR) followed by Calabarzon (16 percent, 170), Central Luzon (11 percent, 124), Central Visayas (8 percent, 82), and Western Visayas (7 percent, 79).

These comprised the top five regions with the most number of newly diagnosed cases for the month.

Ninety seven overseas Filipino workers were diagnosed with HIV with all but two infected through sexual contact (21 male-female sex, 52 male-male sex, and 22 sex with both males and females).

Since 1984, there have already been 67,395 HIV cases, with 8,017 AIDS cases and 3,357 deaths. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)