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Last year, a total of 229 HIV cases were reported to the Department of Health (DH), compared with 260 in the preceding year.

Reviewing the AIDS situation in Hong Kong at a press conference today (February 24), Consultant (Special Preventive Programme) of the DH, Dr SS Lee said sexual transmission had continued to be the most important mode of HIV spread in Hong Kong. Seventy per cent of the newly reported HIV cases contracted HIV through sex.

"Though heterosexual transmission predominated 113 cases, 48 had occurred between men having sex with men.

"Under the voluntary reporting system, some 25% of the reports were incomplete, making the determination of the route of infection impossible," Dr Lee said.

Fourteen per cent of the sexually acquired HIV infection cases in 2003 were reported in people aged 55 or above, compared with less than 10% before 1997.

Noting that infection in intravenous drug users still accounted for only 5% of the reported cases, Dr Lee said the significant number of people in this group in the new report was a matter of concern.

He said a pilot scheme was introduced last year offering voluntary HIV tests to all attendees of the Methadone clinics.

"Nine out of 1,834 people tested positive in the scheme," Dr Lee said. "The scheme has been rolled out to all methadone clinics on a yearly basis, beginning January 2004."

Referring to mother-to-child transmission, Dr Lee said transmission of this kind had become a rarity since the implementation of the Universal Antenatal HIV Testing Programme in September 2001.

"No new perinatal infections have been diagnosed since the introduction of the programme and only six HIV-positive pregnant women were diagnosed in 2003," he said.

In 2003, 56 AIDS cases were reported to the DH. In fact, the number of AIDS reports has remained stable since 1997, a phenomenon which is attributable to the use of effective HAART (highly active antiretroviral treatment) in HIV patients.

"It is estimated that over 3,000 people are living with HIV/AIDS in Hong Kong. The high HIV rates in neighbouring cities, extensive human mobility across borders and high-risk behaviour are some of the factors that may predispose Hong Kong to an upsurge of the epidemic," Dr Lee said.

He called on the public to take precautions by practising safe sex and avoiding drug injections.

"In case of concern about possible infection, the AIDS Hotline 2780 2211 is a convenient source of information and gives the public access to HIV tests," he added.

Ends/Tuesday, February 24, 2004

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