ILOILO City – Western Visayas ranked fourth in the Philippines having the most number of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) cases this year, data from the Department of Health (DOH) showed.
The National Capital Region and Region 3 ranked first and second, respectively.
Adrian Ramos, HIV coordinator of DOH Region 6, said although Western Visayas was among the top-ranking regions, its HIV cases this year were actually fewer than last year’s.
From January to September this year, Ramos said the region logged 458 cases of HIV – 24.6 percent lower than last year’s 608 cases in the same period.
Iloilo City had the most number of HIV infections this year. Iloilo province came in next, followed by Negros Occidental, Bacolod City, Capiz, Aklan, Antique, and Guimaras.
Of this year’s total figure, 437 or nine percent were males while 21 or five percent or were females.
Ramos said most of the new HIV positive cases were recorded in the month of September with 234 because of the mass screening conducted by the DOH regional office on the said month.
Meantime, 35 new cases were recorded in March when the enhanced community quarantine in the whole country was imposed; two cases each in April and May, five in June, 14 in July and zero in August .
As of September this year, since the first recorded case in 1986, the cumulative number of HIV cases in the region stood at 4,265.
Iloilo City remained on top with the highest cases at 969. Iloilo province came in second at 939, followed by Negros Occidental (768), Bacolod City (664), Capiz (316), Aklan (282), Antique (249), and Guimaras (78).
Still, 4,031 or 95 percent of the HIV cases in the region were males while 233 or 5 percent are females. Also, majority (53 percent) or 2,269 individuals who were HIV positives were homosexuals; 29 percent or 1,248 were bisexuals; 17 percent or 715 heterosexuals; while the rest were either prenatal or blood transfusion cases, or undetermined.
As to age group, 51 percent or 2,178 cases were between 25 to 34 years old; 28 percent or 1,206 cases were between 15 to 24 years old; 18 percent or 747 cases were 35 to 49 years old; while the rest were 15 years old and below.
On Dec. 1, the whole country observed World AIDs Day. It was first observed in 1988. The theme for the 2020 observance was “Ending the HIV/AIDS Epidemic: Resilience and Impact”./PN
