MORE than 1,200 new cases of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) have been reported in the first month of 2019, according to the Department of Health (DOH).
Based on the January 2019 HIV- Acquired Immunodeficiency Deficiency Syndrome (Aids) Registry of the Philippines, there were 1,249 new HIV cases reported across the country.
The figure is higher than the 1,021 new HIV cases reported in January 2019.
Of the total January 2019 cases, 16 percent or 196 cases had clinical manifestations of being advanced HIV infection or Aids.
The DOH also reported 22 deaths from HIV or Aids for the month of January 2019.
Sexual contact remains the predominant mode of transmission with 1,223 (98%).
Male-to-male sex accounted for 780 cases; followed by 306 from those having sex with both male and female; and 137 from male-to-female sex.
Other mode of transmission were needle sharing among injecting drug users accounted for 9 cases.
There was also 4 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 (32%, 402) were from the National Capital Region; followed by Calabarzon (18%, 228 cases); Central Luzon (9%, 114); Central Visayas (8%, 97); and Western Visayas (7%, 92), comprise the top five regions with the most number of newly diagnosed cases for the month.
Ninety overseas Filipino workers were diagnosed with HIV but two were infected through sexual contact (19 male-female sex, 47 male-male sex, and 22 sex with both males and females).
Since 1984, there have already been 63,278 HIV cases, with 7,294 Aids cases and 3,076 deaths. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)