Philippines posts record 841 HIV cases in 30 days

MANILA, Philippines – The country has recorded the highest number of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases – over 800 in just 30 days.

Citing data from the HIV/AIDS Registry of the Philippines (HARP), the Department of Health (DOH) yesterday reported a total of 841 new cases of the potentially deadly infection in June.

“This is the highest number of cases ever reported since 1984,” the DOH said in a report.

The previous highest number of 804 new HIV cases was recorded last January.

According to the DOH, the figure in June was nine percent higher compared to the figure during the same period last year.

Of the total 841 new HIV cases in June, 104 have developed into full-blown AIDS.

Sixty-three of the HIV victims have died, the DOH said.

A majority or 777 of the total new cases acquired the infection through sexual transmission, particularly from men-having sex-with-men (MSM) population.

The DOH said MSM accounted for 690 or 89 percent of the total number of cases.

Meanwhile, homosexual contact accounted for 403 cases; bisexual contact, 287 cases and heterosexual contact, 87.

Transmission through injecting drug use (IDU) recorded 60 new cases, the DOH said.

The remaining four cases were through mother-to-child transmission.