Region 7 records 225 new HIV infections in 1st quarter of 2025

Local

CENTRAL Visayas recorded d 225 new HIV infections in the first quarter of 2025, ranking it among the top six Philippine regions with the highest new cases, the Department of Health (DOH) announced.

From January to March, Central Visayas accounted for four percent of the country’s 5,101 newly recorded HIV cases, according to the latest DOH surveillance data.

The National Capital Region led the list, followed by Calabarzon, Central Luzon, Davao Region, Western Visayas, and Central Visayas. Together, these six regions made up 69 percent of all new HIV cases nationwide.

The DOH also noted a 50 percent rise in new HIV cases nationally this quarter compared to the same period in 2024.

HIV is a virus that targets the immune system’s CD4 cells, weakening the body’s ability to fight infections. It is primarily transmitted through contact with infected bodily fluids such as blood, semen, and vaginal secretions, commonly through unprotected sexual activity or sharing needles.

Since 1984, Central Visayas has recorded a total of 10,984 HIV cases, representing 7 percent of the country’s cumulative 148,831 cases.

Of this figure, 4,801 cases were reported between January 2020 and March 2025.

Young Filipino males remain the most vulnerable. Of the 5,101 new cases, 95 percent were male.

Nearly half were aged 25 to 34, while those aged 15 to 24 followed closely. Cisgender individuals accounted for 68 percent of all new infections, and transgender women made up 3 percent.

The virus continues to spread primarily through sexual contact, which accounted for 96 percent of national transmissions.

Central Visayas reported 99 percent of all new HIV cases linked to shared infected needles, a total of 2,627 individuals.

In terms of treatment, Central Visayas has 6,596 people living with HIV (PLHIV) who remain alive and on antiretroviral therapy (ART). However, 2,772 of them have been lost to follow-up.

The region’s viral load testing rate stood at 33 percent, lower than the national average of 45 percent.

Among those tested, 86 percent achieved viral suppression, a key measure of effective treatment and reduced risk of transmission.

These numbers highlight the country’s struggle to meet the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 95-95-95 global targets for 2030.

This translates into 95 percent of PLHIV knowing their status, 95 percent of those diagnosed receiving ART, and 95 percent of those on ART achieving viral suppression.

As of March 2025, only 55 percent of estimated PLHIV in the Philippines knew their status, 66 percent of diagnosed individuals were on ART, and just 40 percent of those on treatment had suppressed viral loads.

Among the newly diagnosed, 1,122, or 22 percent, had advanced HIV disease, reflecting a 12 percent increase from last year’s same quarter.

The DOH also reported a 29 percent rise in the number of pregnant women with HIV, with 45 new cases in the first quarter.

Meanwhile, 190 migrant Filipino workers tested positive for HIV during the same period, most of them men who contracted the virus through sexual contact.

The agency continues to call for expanded access to testing, early diagnosis, and consistent treatment to curb the spread and impact of HIV nationwide.(MyTVCebu)