Manila: A total of 316 new cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were recorded in September, the health department said, adding it was 25 per cent higher compared to the 253 cases recorded in the same period last year.
A total of 2,466 HIV cases have been diagnosed from January to September this year, said the health department’s STD/Aids Cooperative Central Laboratory (SACCL).
Some 13.5 per cent or 43 of the 316 cases (in September) were overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) while 54 per cent or 170 of the new reported HIV cases were from Philippines’ National Capital Region (NCR), SACCL said
Ninety-nine per cent or 312 of the cases were due to sexual contact, with 55 per cent or 171 cases due to males having sex with other males (MSM), the report said, adding that less than one per cent or four cases were due to needle-sharing among illegal drug users.
Ninety-six per cent or 303 of the new cases were males, the report said, adding that 20 to 29 year age-group had the most number of cases.
Almost 95.5 per cent or 2,355 of the 2,466 (total HIV) cases (from January to September) were males between 20 and 29 year old age group, data said.
But no death from full blown Aids was recorded in September, the data said.
