Nearly 3,000 HIV cases reported in 20 years

Manila: The Philippines has recorded nearly 3,000 HIV cases in 20 years, far below the estimates by international experts, the Department of Health said in a report. About a third of the cases were Filipinos working overseas, it said.

The National Epidemiology Centre, which is tasked with monitoring Human Immunodeficiency Virus cases in country, said 2,916 HIV cases have been traced in the country since 1984.

About 770 cases developed into full-blown Aids (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) cases, it said without giving the figures of the deaths due to the disease. The report said international health experts have estimated about 10,000 HIV infections in the country, but a government programme against it is proving to be successful.

It said more than half or about 66 per cent of those infected were males, mostly in the 25-39 age bracket.

Sexual intercourse, which accounts for 87 per cent of the cases, was the leading mode of transmission of the deadly virus. This was followed by perinatal transmission, where the virus is passed from a mother to her unborn child, and drug use by injection.