MANILA, Philippines — More than 120,000 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases were recorded in the country from January to September last year, the Department of Health reported.
Latest data from the HIV/AIDS and ART Registry of the Philippines showed that there were 122,640 people living with HIV, 13,516 of them reported as newly diagnosed cases.
At least 12,813 or 95 percent of new cases are male while 703 or five percent are female.
Among the new cases, 6,485 or 48 percent were between 25 to 34 years old at the time of the diagnosis; 4,151 or 31 percent, aged 15 to 24; 2,449 or 18 percent, 35 to 49; 354 or three percent, 50 and above, and 76 or one percent, 15 and below.
Among the diagnosed cases, 9,406 or 71 percent were undergoing anti-retroviral treatment.
HIV was declared a national emergency in the country in 2017.