Hong Kong’s Centre for Health Protection received reports of 171 new HIV infection cases during the first half of the year and urged anyone with a history of sexual activity to undergo an HIV test at least once, regardless of age or sexual orientation.
The Centre said the proportion of infections detected late has remained at about 50% in recent years. Nearly 80% of people whose infections were detected late had never undergone an HIV test, it said.
The reported cases included 143 men and 28 women, with patients aged between 19 and 80. About 70% were aged 20 to 49, while nearly 30% were aged 50 or above.
Among cases with a reported transmission route, 140, or 99%, were attributed to sexual contact. These included 94 cases involving homosexual or bisexual contact and 46 involving heterosexual contact.
The Centre also reported 28 new AIDS cases during the same first-half period. The supplied reports did not clarify whether these cases were included in the 171 HIV infections or represented a separate figure.
The Department of Health said early HIV treatment can effectively prevent progression to AIDS and other complications. The Centre’s appeal is for people who have been sexually active to take an HIV test at least once.