AIDS Watch: 2nd highest in a month, 70 HIV cases, reported to the DOH for July 2009

Report by the Department of Health for July 2009 HIV and AIDS Registry:

"Twenty-one (21) of the reported HIV cases on July 2009 are young people age 15-24."

In July 2009, there were 70 new HIV Ab sero positive individuals confirmed by the STD/AIDS Cooperative Central Laboratory (SACCL) and reported to the HIV and AIDS Registry. This was a 32% increase compared to the same period last year (n=53 in 2008) and the second highest number reported in a month. This brings the total for 2009 (January to July) to 432cases.

Most of the cases (87%) were males. The median age was 28 years (age range: 18-58 years). The 25-29 year age-group had the most cases (31%). Fifty-six percent (39) of reported cases were from the National Capital Region (NCR).

Sixty-nine cases reported sexual contact as mode of HIV transmission; one case had no data. Bisexual contact (38%) was the predominant type of sexual transmission. Most (97%) of the cases were still asymptomatic at the time of reporting (Figure 3). There was no death for this month.

AIDS CASES

Of the 70 HIV positive cases, two were reported as AIDS cases; both were males (19 years and 21 years). One acquired the infection through bisexual contact and one through homosexual contact. There was no death reported for this month.

Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW)

Twenty-one of the 70 (30%) reported cases were OFWs . Sixteen (76%) were males. The median age was 33 years (age range: 23-58 years). All cases acquired the HIV infection through sexual contact (14 heterosexual, 2 homosexual, and 5 bisexual).

Cumulative Number of HIV Ab Seropositive Cases (1984-2009)

From January 1984 to July 2009, there were 4,021 HIV Ab seropositive cases reported, of which 3,204 (80%) were asymptomatic and 817 (20%) were AIDS cases. Ages ranged from 1-72 years (median 32 years). The age groups with the most number of cases were: 25-29 years (22%), 30-34 years (20%), 35-39 years (16%). Seventytwo percent (2,873) were males.