Health | 15 residents affected by HIV

HIV was detected in 15 patients in Macau from January to September this year and two of these patients have died. The 13 remaining patients are undergoing treatment, including one abroad. Ten of the 15 patients are local residents.

HIV is a disease that can be transmitted sexually or through the unsafe use of needles. According to the Health Bureau, seven of the patients are in homosexual relationships, another seven are in bisexual relationships and the sexual orientation of one patient remains undetermined.

Lam Chong, director of the Health Bureau’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention, discussed the data at a press conference yesterday.

Thirty HIV cases were detected in 2016, of which 15 cases developed into AIDS.

The infection caused three deaths last year.

Chong said that the bureau’s promotion of rapid test awareness was a significant factor in the decrease in HIV cases this year, explaining that there were more residents and foreigners who took rapid tests in 2016.

Last year, 26,000 people underwent a rapid test, a surge of more than 100 percent compared to 2015.

However, as of last month, only 18,000 residents have taken the test this year.

“I think because last year, we made promotions of rapid tests so many people had rapid tests last year,” he said.

“Many infection cases had already been detected [last year] so this year, although we continue to promote the test […] the numbers decreased a bit,” the official added.

Chong said there had been 696 cases of HIV in Macau since 1986, of which 269 were local residents. 51 of these cases were fatal.

The official added that the number of local HIV patients had increased significantly in the past ten years. He correlated the rise in infections with the prevalence of unsafe sex.

Chong added that the bureau is in talks with the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau (DSEJ) regarding the possibility of integrating sex education into local schools’ curriculum.

In line with World AIDS Day on December 1, the bureau will hold a series of activities next month to promote safe sex and HIV awareness, including a contest which will be held on social media platforms such as WeChat and Facebook. LV