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 (Table 1). 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 432 cases.
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 (Table 2). Bisexual contact (38%) was the predominant type of sexual transmission (Figure 2). 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 (Figure 5, page 2). 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).
AIDS Cases
Of the 817 AIDS cases reported, 70% (573) were males. Median age was 36 years (range 1-72 years). Thirty-eight percent (314) had already died. Sexual intercourse was the most common mode of HIV transmission, accounting for 93% (757) of all AIDS cases. More than half (440 or 58%) of sexual transmissions was through heterosexual contact, followed by homosexual contact (249) then bisexual contact (68). Other modes of transmission include: mother-to-child transmission (17), blood transfusion (10), injecting drug use (4), and needle prick injuries (2). Three percent (27) of the AIDS cases did not report mode of HIV transmission.