The Ministry of Health (MOH) and Health Promotion Board (HPB) has urged groups at risk of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) to go for regular HIV testing.
As at October 2013, 378 new cases of HIV were reported among Singaporeans.
This is within the first 10 months of the year, with an expected total number of cases by the end of the year to be similar to that of 2012, which stands at 469.
Of the 198 cases discovered in the first six months of this year, 95 percent were males. 48 percent were aged 30 to 49 years old and 40 percent already had late-stage HIV infection when they were diagnosed, although this was lower than in previous years, reported at 50 percent.
Sex remains the main mode of transmission with nearly 97 percent of the 198 cases acquiring HIV through that route.
Homosexual transmission made up the most cases at 44 percent followed by heterosexual transmission at 43 percent and lastly, bisexual transmission at 10 percent.
In a statement, MOH said that the best way to avoid HIV is for couples to remain faithful to each other and to avoid casual sex, and sex with sex workers. Persons engaging in risky sexual behaviour — such as having multiple sex partners, casual sex or commercial sex, should use condoms consistently and correctly to reduce their risk of HIV.
Photo: AFP
