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The Department of Health (DOH) revealed that there were 492 new cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections recorded in November 2014, a figure 28% higher than the 384 cases documented in November 2013.
According to the records of the National Epidemiology Center of the DOH, most of the documented cases were spread through sexual contact and occurred to individuals aged between 15 to 24.
Furthermore, their report revealed that male to male contact was the most predominant mode of sexual transmission of the deadly virus. Of the 464 cases due to sexual contact, 250 cases were due to homosexual contact, while 146 cases were caused by bisexual contact.
Drug users sharing infected needles accounted for 28 cases of HIV.
About 40 cases of the recorded HIV infections have progressed to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Ten have already died from the disease.
As of January this year, the number of HIV cases has risen to 5,502.
HIV- Aids Cases Triggered by Technology- Assisted Sexual Encounters
Leaders of non-government organisations claimed that the alarming rise in the number of HIV- Aids cases was brought about by casual sex prompted by encounters in mobile phones and social media.
Moreover, youth commissioner Percival Cendana said the government does not have sufficient information campaign to reduce the number of HIV and Aids cases in the country.
“This could happen because the government has been remiss in undertaking a massive information campaign to stop the spread of HIV-Aids. It should have been done five years ago to make the Philippines achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target that HIV-Aids cases should be less than one per cent of a country’s population,” Cendana explained.
