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A total of 122 cases of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections were reported to the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) in the first quarter of 2012, bringing the cumulative total of reported HIV infections to 5,392 since 1984.
Reviewing the HIV/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) situation in Hong Kong at a press conference today (May 29), the Consultant (Special Preventive Programme) of the CHP, Dr Wong Ka-hing, said that sexual transmission remained the major mode of HIV transmission in Hong Kong.
Dr Wong stressed the importance of proper use of condoms 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.
"People who have a history of unprotected sex should call the DH's AIDS Hotline at 2780 2211 for a free, anonymous and confidential HIV test," Dr Wong said.
Of the 122 HIV cases reported in this quarter, 52 acquired the infection via homosexual or bisexual contact, 28 via heterosexual contact, three through drug injection and one via blood/blood product transfusion outside Hong Kong. The routes of transmission of the remaining 38 cases were undetermined due to inadequate information.
The 122 cases comprised 95 males and 27 females.
The newly diagnosed cases of the first quarter of 2012 were mainly reported by three major sources: public hospitals and clinics (40 cases), private hospitals and clinics (28 cases) and the DH's AIDS Unit (21 cases).
Fourteen new cases of AIDS were reported in this quarter, bringing to 1,281 the total number of confirmed AIDS cases reported since 1985. Thirty-six per cent of the new AIDS cases were related to homosexual or bisexual contact and another 43 per cent were attributed to heterosexual contact.
In this quarter, the most common AIDS-defining illness was Pneumocystis Pneumonia, a kind of chest infection.
Members of the public can obtain a wide range of HIV/AIDS-related information from the AIDS website (www.aids.gov.hk).
Ends/Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Issued at HKT 12:19
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