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A total of 559 new cases of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection were reported to the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) in 2013, compared with 513 cases in 2012.
Reviewing the local HIV/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) situation at a press conference today (February 25), the Consultant (Special Preventive Programme) of the CHP, 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 contracting HIV.
"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 remarked.
"Members of the public with a history of unsafe sex should take an HIV test early. They can call the DH's AIDS Hotline (2780 2211) for a free, anonymous and confidential HIV test," Dr Wong said.
Of the 559 newly reported cases, 295 acquired the infection via homosexual or bisexual exposure and 137 via heterosexual contact. There were seven cases via drug injection and one case via blood or blood product transfusion outside Hong Kong. The routes of transmission of the remaining 119 cases had yet to be determined due to inadequate information.
In the fourth quarter of 2013, a total of 144 new cases of HIV infection were reported, taking the cumulative total of HIV infections reported locally to 6 342 since 1984.
Of the 144 cases, comprising 117 males and 27 females, 72 acquired the infection via homosexual or bisexual contact, 28 via heterosexual contact and one through drug injection. The routes of transmission of the remaining 43 cases had yet to be determined due to inadequate information.
The newly diagnosed cases of HIV infection in the same quarter were reported by three major sources: public hospitals and clinics (52 cases), private hospitals and clinics (28 cases) and the Social Hygiene Clinics of the DH (21 cases).
Among the newly reported cases in the fourth quarter, 66 per cent of them (95 cases) had received HIV specialist services at the DH or the Hospital Authority.
In the same quarter, 27 new cases of AIDS were reported, bringing to 1 437 the total number of confirmed AIDS cases reported since 1985. Among them, 44 per cent were related to heterosexual contact and 37 per cent were attributed to homosexual or bisexual contact.
The most common AIDS-defining illness in this quarter was Pneumocystis Pneumonia, a kind of chest infection.
Members of the public can obtain a wide range of HIV/AIDS-related information from the DH's AIDS website (www.aids.gov.hk).
Ends/Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Issued at HKT 12:30
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