ILOILO City – Eight children in Western Visayas have been infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and one of them died, data from the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU) of the Department of Health (DOH) Region 6 showed.
The eight children aged below 15 years old were among the 6,197 cumulative cases of HIV in the region from 1986 to September 2022, according to nurse Errol Dayot of DOH-6’s Environmental and Occupational Health and Emergency Operation Center Section.
The HIV was passed on to them by their infected mothers when the latter were pregnant.
“The children HIV are currently undergoing treatment,” said Dayot.
The fatality was a two-year-old child.
“Late na ang diagnosis. It is sad. Pwede tani ma-prevent maglala kag indi mapatay if earlier nakita na,” Dayot lamented.
Ninety-five percent or 5,894 of the total HIV cases in the region were male while five percent or 302 were female (including 20 pregnant mothers).
Dayot said pregnant mothers recently diagnosed with HIV were receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) to lower their viral load and the possibility of them infecting their unborn babies.
To further lessen the transmission of infection, the babies would be given prophylaxis after birth.
“There are cases actually nga wala na-transmit from mother to child ang infection,” said Dayot.
As to the mode of HIV transmission, 58 percent of 3,504 cases were through male to male sex (homosexual); 1,692 or 27 percent through male to male/female sex (bisexual); 905 or 15 percent through male to female sex (heterosexual); eight or less than one percent were through mother to child transmission; one or less than one percent was through blood transfusion; and 87 cases or one percent have unknown mode of transmission.
By age group, the 25 to 34 years old or the working age group has the highest number of HIV cases with 51 percent of the total cases or 3,144; followed by 15 to 24 years old with 1,790 cases (29 percent); 35 to 49 years old with 1, 082 (17 percent) cases; while the rest were 50 years old and above with 170 cases, and below 15 years old with 10 cases.
Dayot noted an increase in cases recorded daily in the region – from two cases per day on average between 2019 and 2020 to three cases per day between 2021 and 2022.
The RESU data showed a 23 percent drop in cases in 2020 (619 cases) from 2019 which had 801 cases.
Dayot said the decrease was due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdowns.
“Iban isolated man. Given nga ang highest mode of transmission naton is through sexual activities, kumbaga, nag-lay low man ang iban during the time of pandemic kay nahadlok man sila to get infected with COVID,” he explained.
However, HIV cases picked up in 2021 when the restrictions and lockdowns were loosened. For the said year, Region 6 logged 971 cases – 57 percent higher compared to the cases in 2020.
Of the total HIV cases in the region, 3,907 or 70 percent are currently receiving ART while 587 or nine percent have already died.
Data also showed that 575 or nine percent of the cases are overseas Filipino workers.
Here is the breakdown of HIV cases and deaths:
* Iloilo province – 1,246 cases
* Iloilo City – 1,086 cases with 164 deaths
* Negros Occidental – 1,086 cases with 125 deaths
* Bacolod City – 843 cases with 90 deaths
* Capiz – 524 cases with 35 deaths
* Aklan – 414 cases with 31 deaths;
* Antique – 320 cases with 32 deaths
* Guimaras – 100 cases with 20 deaths./PN
