A total of 380 new cases of HIV infections were reported in Singapore from January to October this year with 97 per cent of them being detected in men, a media report said on Tuesday.
Out of the 144 cases reported within the first six months of the year, sexual intercourse remains the main mode of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission as almost all cases were acquired through sexual intercourse, the Ministry of Health said on the occasion of World AIDS Day.
Heterosexual transmission accounted for 38 per cent of these cases, while half were from homosexual transmission and 10 per cent were from bisexual transmission, the Straits Times reported.
Half of them in 30-49 age group
The Ministry also said that more than half of the 144 cases or 54 per cent of patients were 30 to 49-years-old and 97 per cent were male. Thirty-nine per cent of the 144 cases were already in the late-stage of HIV infection when they were diagnosed.
With early diagnosis, an HIV-positive person can access care and treatment earlier and receive counselling on how to protect their partners from infection, the statement said.
The Ministry urged individuals at risk of HIV infection to go for regular HIV testing as this can help an infected person be diagnosed at an earlier stage.
‘Treatment can delay onset’
“With effective treatment, persons living with HIV can delay the onset of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and continue to lead an active and productive life,” the statement added.
It said that the most effective way to prevent HIV infection is to remain faithful to one’s spouse/partner and to avoid casual sex, and sex with sex workers.
World AIDS Day is being celebrated today to unite people to fight against HIV virus, first identified in 1984.
