AIDS situation in 1998

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The Department of Health (DH) announced today (Friday) that 189 persons were found to be positive for the HIV antibody test in 1998, bringing the cumulative total number of reported HIV infections to 1 146.

Sixty-three AIDS cases were reported in the same year bringing to 372 the total number of confirmed cases.

A spokesman for DH said: "In 1998, 79 % of the AIDS cases had been reported simultaneouly with their HIV diagnoses. The most commonly presented AIDS defining complication was Pneumocystis Carinii Pneumonia and was followed by Tuberculosis infection."

Routes of transmission of the 1 146 reported HIV infected were : 635 through heterosexual and 306 through homosexual or bisexual; 17 were injecting drug users; six were mother-to-child transmission ; and 67 acquired the infection through contaminated blood or blood products.

As for the remainining 115, the information available was inadequate for classification.

DH monitors the HIV/AIDS situation through reporting systems and seroprevalence studies. Reports are released on a quarterly basis.

DH's AIDS Unit operates an AIDS Hotline - 2780 2211 - providing information, counselling and voluntary HIV testing to members of the public who perceive themselves at risk of infection. It also maintains an Internet Home Page on AIDS and the website address is http:// www. info. gov. hk/aids

End/Friday, February 5, 1999

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