The number of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections in the country has nearly doubled this year, with nearly half of them infecting teenagers, but Sec.health Teodoro Herbosa has warned that new strains of the virus are spreading. He said stocks may be the cause.
Herbosa shared the latest figures on Tuesday, revealing a concerning increase in the number of new HIV infections. Rather than focusing on the negative, we should work together to increase awareness and promote prevention efforts in order to combat this trend.
Young people aged 15 to 24 are the most affected, at 47%, he added.
“There are new sub variants that are much more transmissible and that’s why we’re seeing an increase in cases,” he said, quoting infectious disease expert he told reporters.
“This has happened before. “We’re just discovering it (now) because we’re focused on the coronavirus,” he said.
In 2022, a group of researchers led by Chris Wymant found that a new HIV variant called subtype B may cause more severe infections, and that people infected with this strain had an “average viral load.
” They found that it could be about four times the normal viral load.
” “As usual,” according to the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
On Monday, Secretary Herbosa confirmed that he had a meeting with Vice President Sara Duterte, who also happens to be the Secretary of the Department of Education. They discussed the rapid increase in the number of HIV infections, and the necessary “interventions” that should be taken to address the issue.
“We have built greater cooperation and convergence between. .in our work for youth health,” he said.
He added that other health issues they have addressed include teen pregnancy, substance abuse, mental health, and nutrition.
According to UNAIDS, the Philippines has one of the fastest growing HIV epidemics in the world, dating back to 1984.
The HIV epidemic was declared a national emergency by the Department of Health (DOH) in 2017. The decision was made due to the alarming rise in the number of infections. Taking action now can help prevent the spread of the disease and save lives.
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