Singapore has 151 new HIV infections, more than half diagnosed at late stage

NDO - According to the latest data released by Singapore's Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) on May 19, the country will have 151 new cases of HIV infection in 2024, of which 78 cases will be diagnosed at a late stage of the disease.

About 62% of new HIV infections are detected during medical care, most of which are in the late stages of HIV infection.

The fact that more than half of new HIV cases are diagnosed late is worrying, Wong Chen Seong, head of the national programme on HIV, hepatitis C and sexually transmitted diseases at the CDA, told local media.

While both early- and late-stage patients can usually suppress their HIV viral load to undetectable levels after three to six months of treatment, those diagnosed in the late stages often have already suffered serious complications due to their weakened immune systems, he said. Treatment for late-stage patients involves not only suppressing the virus to prevent further immune system damage, but also managing co-morbidities.

When the immune system is compromised, the body may take longer to recover, with recovery time depending on the patient's overall health, age, and initial immune status, Wong Chen Seong added. During the recovery period, people are also more susceptible to other infections.

The number of new HIV infections in Singapore has been decreasing over the years, from 300 to 500 cases per year in 2009-2019, to about 200 to 250 cases per year in 2020-2023.

As of the end of 2024, Singapore had a total of 7,137 people living with HIV.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/singapore-co-151-ca-nhiem-hiv-moi-hon-mot-nua-duoc-chan-doan-o-giai-doan-muon-post881062.html