MANILA -- More than 900 new cases of human-immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have been reported in March, a Department of Health (DOH) report showed.
According to the department's March 2018 HIV/AIDS Registry, there were 912 new HIV cases reported across the country on the said period.
"About one-third (32 percent equivalent to 294) were from National Capital Region (NCR)," the report said.
NCR was followed by Region 4-A (17 percent, 153 cases); Region 7 (9 percent, 85); Region 3 (9 percent, 85); Region 6 (5 percent, 50); and Region 11 (5 percent, 43). These are the regions that have the most number of new HIV cases.
The report added that the figure is lower than the 967 new HIV cases reported March last year.
Of the 912 cases, 16 percent or 148 had clinical manifestations of being advanced HIV infection or acquired immunodeficiency deficiency syndrome (AIDS).
The report also disclosed that there were 21 deaths that resulted from HIV/AIDS for the said period.
Sexual contact remains as the predominant mode of transmission, totaling 899 of the 912 cases.
A total of 774 cases or 86 percent of them are males who have sex with males (MSM) population.
Male-to-male sex accounted for 542 cases; followed by 232 for those having sex with both male and female; and 125 for male-to-female sexual contact.
Another mode of transmission was needle sharing among drug users, totaling to 11 cases.
The new cases added to the figures in January, which totaled to 1,021; and February, with 871 cases, bringing the total for the first quarter of 2018 to 2,804 new HIV cases.
From 1984 up to the March 2018, a total of 53,192 HIV cases were recorded by the agency.
Of the said number, 5,484 cases developed into AIDS cases that resulted to 2,518 deaths.
DOH said availing of the tests it offers in several HIV hubs and treatment center is one way people who were probably exposed to such illness can prolong their life. The agency provides free anti-retroviral therapy as a medical intervention. (PNA)
