DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/10 Dec.) — The city has recorded 713 cases of human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in the past 30 years, according to the National Epidemiology Center of the Department of Health (DOH).
The figures were based on data from 1984 until September 2013, the DOH said.
Close to 27 percent or 190 cases occurred from January to September this year, 16 of which were recorded in September.
The 16 new patients were all males, according to the data.
From January to September 2013, homosexual mode of transmission topped the list with 90 cases.
Bisexual mode of transmission came next at 73 cases, with heterosexuals registering 27 cases.
For the same period, most of the patients came from the age group 25-34, followed by those coming from the age group 15-24.
From 1984 to September this year, 320 of the patients were aged 25-34, and 287 were aged 15-24.
Earlier this month, the DOH said 491 new HIV/AIDS cases were recorded last October, the highest ever in a month in the country.
It said this figure is 66 percent higher than the 295 cases in October 2012.
It added that of this figure, 38 were already AIDS at the time of reporting and 461 of the patients were males.
Males having sex with other males accounted for 86 of the sexual transmission, the DOH noted.
Since 1984 when the HIV/AIDS registry started and until October this year, the country has recorded 15,774 cases. (MindaNews)