ALMOST 15,000 cases of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were detected in the Philippines last year, which is over 20 percent higher than cases recorded in 2021.
Based on the December 2022 HIV/AIDS Registry of the Philippines (HARP) report, there were 14,970 new HIV cases detected between January and December 2022. There were 12,339 cases reported in 2021.
The increase in total cases for the year also meant that the average number of people diagnosed with HIV per day has gone up to 41 in 2022, which is higher than the average of 34 new cases per day detected in 2021.
There are also more acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) cases reported in 2022, wherein 4,377 were diagnosed.
This is higher than the 3,871 AIDS cases diagnosed in 2021 alone.
Sexual contact remains as the most common mode of HIV transmission in 2022 with 14,637 cases.
These include 10,006 cases acquired via male-to-male sex; 2,970 cases transmitted via sex with males and females, and male to female sex with 1,661 cases.
There were also 95 cases of transmission via sharing of infected needles, and 37 cases of mother-to-child transmission. There were likewise 201 cases with no data on transmission mode.
Metro Manila had the most HIV cases last year, with 3,915; followed by Calabarzon with 2,800; Central Luzon with 1,803; Western Visayas with 1,091; and Central Visayas with 1,012. The rest of the country, meanwhile, tallied 4,349 HIV cases in 2022.
