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A total of 105 cases of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection was reported in the second quarter of 2010 to the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH), bringing the cumulative total of reported HIV infections to 4,649 since 1984.
Reviewing the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) situation in Hong Kong at a press conference today (August 31), the CHP's Consultant (Special Preventive Programme), Dr Wong Ka-hing, said that sexual transmission continued to be the major mode of HIV transmission in Hong Kong.
Dr Wong stressed the importance of proper use of condoms in reducing the risk of HIV infection.
"HIV is the cause of AIDS and, without treatment, about half of the HIV-infected people will progress to AIDS within 10 years," Dr Wong said.
"People who have a history of unprotected sex should call the DH's AIDS hotline on 2780 2211 for a free, anonymous and confidential HIV test."
Of the 105 HIV cases reported in this quarter, 33 acquired the infection via heterosexual contact, 38 via homosexual or bisexual contact, four through drug injection, and one through mother-to-child transmission. The routes of transmission of the remaining 29 cases were as yet undetermined due to inadequate information.
The 105 cases comprised 74 males and 31 females.
The newly diagnosed cases in this quarter were mainly reported from three sources: public hospitals and clinics (43 cases), private hospitals and clinics (27 cases) and the DH's AIDS Unit (20 cases).
Sixteen new cases of AIDS were reported in the second quarter, bringing to 1,141 the total number of confirmed AIDS cases reported since 1985. Of the new AIDS cases 50% were related to heterosexual contact and 38% to homosexual or bisexual contact.
In this quarter, the most common AIDS-defining illness was Pneumocystis Pneumonia, a kind of opportunistic 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, August 31, 2010
Issued at HKT 13:01
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