THE Cebu City Health Office has recorded the first case of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection for 2010 in the city.
Dr. Ilya Tac-an, head of the Cebu City HIV/Aids Detection Unit, said a 26-year-old man has tested positive of HIV. She said the man was diagnosed in the second week of January.
Tac-an said the man is still under constant check up to prevent the HIV infection from developing to Aids (acquired immune deficiency syndrome).
In an interview with Sun.Star Cebu, Tac-an said HIV cases continue to rise in the city.
Last year, the city health office recorded 11 HIV cases, which she said was the highest, compared to previous years.
“Usually, we average four cases a year,” she said in Cebuano.
She noted that most of the victims of HIV infection were drug users.
Tac-an said that seven out of the 11 reported cases of HIV in 2009, were caused by the sharing of needles and syringes among drug users.
However, she said that while sharing of syringes may transmit HIV, the virus is still commonly transmitted through unprotected sex.
To prevent the spread of HIV, Tac-an still advised people not to engage in sexual activities and use drugs.
She also encouraged Cebuanos to undergo a regular HIV test for early detection to prevent its spread. PDF