AIDS cases in city increased this year, says health official

The Cebu City Health Department has recorded five additional cases of people infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus resulting to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome in the city this year, increasing the total number of cases to 64 from last year's 59 cases.

Dr. Ilya Abellanosa of the city health department said that the youngest HIV victim who is still alive is a 19-year-old girl, as the 18-year-old girl who was diagnosed HIV-positive in 1997 already succumbed to the complications of the disease sometime in 2003.

According to a study, there are 21 new HIV-positive cases in the country this year, 14 of which are males while seven are females. The mode of transmission of the disease was through sexual intercourse.

From the 21 new cases, most of the affected victims are heterosexuals with 13 cases, homosexuals with six cases and bisexuals with two cases.

Abellanosa said that the victims are given counseling and anti-retroviral therapy at the city health department and at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, respectively.

Anti-retroviral tablets are given to victims to prolong the time for the virus to affect their immune systems. However, it was reiterated that AIDS is still an incurable disease and that the tablet is administered to prolong the life of the victim.

The anti-retroviral tablets are provided by the global funds for AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. - Jasmin R. Uy