TWENTY new cases of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) were recorded in Angeles City in Pampanga province, the local health department said on Wednesday and noted that HIV cases in the province are increasing dramatically.

In a report, Dr. Verona Guevarra of Angeles City Reproductive and Health Wellness said that from January to March this year they have already recorded a total of 20 HIV positive cases. This is much higher than the cases recorded in the province last year where only four people tested positive for HIV.

Also, Guevarra said that they have detected 32 asymptomatic HIV cases or cases in which the patient showed no symptom of the disease.

Guevarra further explained that the increase in the number of cases this year can be attributed to the increase of voluntary check-ups and screenings.

She added that the new cases recorded in the province were people working in the entertainment industry but did not elaborate.

In General Santos City, 22 people tested positive for HIV. Local health officials in the city said that they believed that the number could even increase in the coming months since the existing cases were just recorded from January to April of this year.

GenSan’s health department added that some cases in detected new 22 HIV cases already developed into full-blown Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or AIDS. The department added that the new cases increased the number of HIV-AIDS cases in the city to 77.

The health department added that most of the HIV-AIDS positive people in the city were male professionals within the age bracket of 22 to 25 years old. It added that these males acquired the disease though risky sexual behavior. It includes men who have had unprotected sex with multiple male partners.

GenSan’s health department urged residents, especially those who engage in risky sexual behavior, to submit themselves to the free HIV testing to help them stop the spread of the disease in the city. GenSan’s local government, through the Social Hygiene Clinic, has been offering free HIV-AIDS testing.

Fatima Cielo B. Cancel