HIV/AIDS situation in first quarter of 2008

17 Jun 2008

A total of 89 cases of HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) -- the cause of AIDS) infections were reported in the first quarter of 2008 to the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH), bringing the cumulative total of reported HIV infections to 3 701.

This was revealed by the Consultant (Special Preventive Programme) of CHP, Dr Wong Ka-hing, during a press conference today (June 17).

He noted that 17 new cases of AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) were reported in the same quarter, bringing to 951 the total number of confirmed AIDS cases reported since 1985.

Dr Wong stressed the importance of using condom and the practice of safer sex 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.

He also called on members of the public who had a history of unprotected sex to go for an HIV test.

"They can call the DH's AIDS Hotline on 2780 2211 for a free, anonymous and confidential HIV test," he added.

Reviewing the HIV/AIDS situation in Hong Kong, Dr Wong said that the predominant route of HIV transmission in this quarter remained to be sexual contact.

Of the 89 new HIV cases reported, 27 acquired the infection via heterosexual contact, 28 via homosexual or bisexual contact, 10 via injection of drug. The routes of transmission of the remaining 24 cases were undetermined due to insufficient data.

The 89 cases comprised 70 males and 19 females.

The newly diagnosed cases of this quarter were reported by four major sources: public hospitals and clinics (34 cases), private hospitals and clinics (17 cases), Social Hygiene Clinics (19 cases) and the DH's AIDS Counselling and Testing Service (8 cases).

Of the newly reported cases in this quarter, 59 (66.3%) of the patients have received care at the HIV specialist services of the Department of Health or the Hospital Authority.

In this quarter, the most common AIDS defining illness was Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP), a kind of chest infection which was closely followed by Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection (TB).

Members of the public can obtain a wide range of HIV/AIDS related information from the AIDS website (http://www.aids gov.hk).