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A total of 140 cases of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection were reported to the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) in the third quarter of 2012, bringing the cumulative total of reported HIV infections to 5,663 since 1984.
Reviewing the HIV/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) situation in Hong Kong at a press conference today (December 4), the Consultant (Special Preventive Programme) of the CHP of the DH, Dr Wong Ka-hing, said that sexual transmission remained 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, 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 on 2780 2211 for a free, anonymous and confidential HIV test," Dr Wong said.
Of the 140 HIV cases reported in this quarter, 67 acquired the infection via homosexual or bisexual contact, 28 via heterosexual contact and one through drug injection. The routes of transmission of the remaining 44 cases were undetermined due to inadequate information.
The 140 cases comprised 112 males and 28 females.
The newly diagnosed cases of the third quarter of 2012 were mainly reported by three major sources: public hospitals and clinics (51 cases), private hospitals and clinics (38 cases) and the DH's AIDS Unit (22 cases).
A total of 393 cases have been reported in the first three quarters of 2012, which equates to about 90 per cent of the total number of cases (438) in 2011. This increase is largely caused by the continual rise in infections of men who have sex with men.
Seventeen new cases of AIDS were reported this quarter, bringing to 1,328 the total number of confirmed AIDS cases reported since 1985. Fifty-nine per cent of the new AIDS cases were related to homosexual or bisexual contact and another 35 per cent were attributed to heterosexual contact.
In this quarter, the most common AIDS-defining illness was Pneumocystis Pneumonia, a kind of chest infection.
Members of the public can visit the government's AIDS website (www.aids.gov.hk) for more HIV/AIDS-related information.
Ends/Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Issued at HKT 14:41
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