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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) announced that 91 people tested positive for HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) antibody in the third quarter of 2005, bringing the cumulative total of reported HIV infections to 2,738.
Seventeen new cases of AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) were reported in the same quarter, bringing to 760 the total number of confirmed AIDS cases reported since 1985. Sixty-five per cent of them were related to sexual contact.
The Consultant of the DH's Special Preventive Programme, Dr Wong Ka-hing said today (November 16) that HIV was spread through the main routes of sex (homosexual or heterosexual), needle-sharing in injection drug users, and from infected mothers to their babies.
Secual contact remained the predominant route of HIV transmission in this quarter.
Of the 91 new HIV cases reported, 28 acquired the infection via heterosexual contact, 36 via homosexual or bisexual contact, four cases of injection drug use, two cases of blood/blood product infusion and two cases of perinatal transmission.
The routes of transmission of the remaining 19 cases were undetermined due to inadequate data.
The 91 cases comprised 76 males and 15 females.
In this quarter, Pneumocystic pneumonia was the most common AIDS defining illness.
Of the 2,738 cumulative total of HIV infections since 1984, around 78% acquired infection through sexual contact and 4% through injection drug use.
The newly diagnosed cases for this quarter were reported by five major sources: public hospitals and clinics (41), private hospitals and clinics (22), DH's AIDS Counselling Service (12), the Social Hygiene Clinics (7) and AIDS non-governmental organisations (7).
Cumulatively, the five sources have respectively accounted for 44.2%, 21.8%, 15%, 13.2% and 1.8% of all reported infections.
Of the newly reported cases in this quarter, 69 (75.8%) have received care at the DH's HIV Specialist Services or the Hospital Authority.
Seventy-four per cent of the reported cases in the first nine months of 2005 have attended these services where effective antiretroviral treatment is offered according to clinical indication.
The DH monitors the HIV/AIDS situation through a voluntary reporting system. The first cases of HIV and AIDS were reported in 1984 and 1985 respectively.
Dr Wong said people could request free, anonymous and confidential HIV counselling by calling AIDS Hotline (2780 2211). HIV antibody testing may also be arranged as appropriate through this hotline.
Information on AIDS and data on HIV/AIDS, which are released on a quarterly basis, can be viewed on the DH's AIDS Unit Web page
http://www.aids.gov.hk.
HIV is the cause of AIDS and, without treatment, half of the HIV infected people will progress to AIDS within 10 years.
Ends/Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Issued at HKT 11:54
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