In Cebu City 2 more AIDS cases

CEBU, Philippines - Health officials discovered two more cases of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in Cebu City from among the 3,582 persons they have subjected to anti-body testing from January to April this year.

Cebu City Health Officer Stella Ygoña said that aside from the two men found positive of AIDS, there are 66 new cases of Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus (HIV).

The two persons who were diagnosed with AIDS are still alive but they are fighting for their lives.

Dra. Ilya Tac-an, head of the City Health’s sexually transmitted diseases section, refused to reveal where in the city that the two AIDS-afflicted persons are living because they are not authorized to do it.

Tac-an said that based on their interview, it was found that unprotected sex remains the leading mode of transmission, with men having sex with men.

Several new HIV infections is being reported among the 15 to 24-year-old age group and the affected persons were engaged in unprotected male-to-male sex, commercial sex and drug use with injections.

Tac-an said the rising cases of HIV in Cebu City and in the entire country in general is already considered alarming.

Ygoña encouraged the commercial sex workers and others who engage in sex with multiple partners to subject themselves to voluntary testing considering that the health officials cannot compel them to do so because compulsory HIV testing is prohibited by law.

To prevent the spread of HIV, Tac-an advised people not to engage in unsafe sexual contact with unfamiliar people, and promotes condom use for men and non-sharing of needles to deter the spread of the virus.

Tac-an said that needle sharing among drug users is another causes of HIV transmission. — (FREEMAN)