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A total of 98 cases of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections were reported in the second quarter of 2009 to the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH), bringing the cumulative total of reported HIV infections to 4,249 since 1984.
Reviewing the AIDS situation in Hong Kong at a press conference today (September 8), Consultant (Special Preventive Programme) of the CHP, Dr Wong Ka-hing, said that sexual transmission had continued to be the major mode of HIV spread in Hong Kong.
Dr Wong stressed the importance of using condoms and the practice of safer sex in reducing the risk of HIV infection.
"HIV is the cause of AIDS and, without treatment, half of the HIV-infected people will progress to AIDS within 10 years.
"People who have a history of unprotected sex should call the DH's AIDS hotline at 2780 2211 for a free, anonymous and confidential HIV test," Dr Wong said.
Of the 98 HIV cases reported in the second quarter of 2009, 20 acquired the infection via heterosexual contact, 35 via homosexual or bisexual contact, five through drug injection, one through blood/blood product infusion, and one through mother-to-child transmission. The routes of transmission of the remaining 36 cases were undetermined due to inadequate information.
The 98 cases comprised 80 males and 18 females.
The newly diagnosed cases of this quarter were mainly reported by four major sources: public hospitals and clinics (43 cases), private hospitals and clinics (24 cases), the DH's AIDS unit (12 cases), and AIDS service organisations (10 cases).
Twenty-four new cases of AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) were reported in the second quarter of 2009, bringing to 1,071 the total number of confirmed AIDS cases reported since 1985. Fifty-four per cent of the new AIDS cases were related to homosexual or bisexual contact.
In this quarter, the most common AIDS-defining illness was pneumocystis pneumonia, a kind of chest infection.
Members of the public can obtain a wide range of HIV/AIDS related information from the AIDS website (www.aids.gov.hk).
Ends/Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Issued at HKT 15:01
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