Hellbuster
05-20-2006, 11:32 AM
The number of HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) positive patients reported within the country increased during last year and more than three HIV positive cases are reported each week now, STD/AIDS control programme regional facilitator Dr. Champa Aluthweera said yesterday.
She added that though the number of total HIV positive patients reported within the country by the end of last March was 771 the estimated number of adult patients (over 15 years) was more than 5,000.
Though the number of reported patients increased partly due to the reduced stigmatisation and enhanced awareness programmes, a very high number of cases are left unreported which can lead to an alarming increase in HIV cases in the near future, she added.
Dr. Aluthweera said the estimated number of adults infected by HIV within the last year only exceeded 1,400.
The number of estimated deaths in 2005 were more than 140, while the total number of estimated patients at the end of 2005 was 5,000, she added.
Though the adult prevalence of HIV in Sri Lanka was only 0.1 per cent, Dr. Aluthweera warned that it might suddenly increase by several fold any moment if the public did not make behavioural changes and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
According to her, 96 per cent of the cases reported in Sri Lanka were transmitted via unprotected sexual intercourse and the transmission from males to females were the highest.
She added that there were more than 30,000 sex workers in the country which was a main route of transmitting HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.
She added that though the number of total HIV positive patients reported within the country by the end of last March was 771 the estimated number of adult patients (over 15 years) was more than 5,000.
Though the number of reported patients increased partly due to the reduced stigmatisation and enhanced awareness programmes, a very high number of cases are left unreported which can lead to an alarming increase in HIV cases in the near future, she added.
Dr. Aluthweera said the estimated number of adults infected by HIV within the last year only exceeded 1,400.
The number of estimated deaths in 2005 were more than 140, while the total number of estimated patients at the end of 2005 was 5,000, she added.
Though the adult prevalence of HIV in Sri Lanka was only 0.1 per cent, Dr. Aluthweera warned that it might suddenly increase by several fold any moment if the public did not make behavioural changes and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
According to her, 96 per cent of the cases reported in Sri Lanka were transmitted via unprotected sexual intercourse and the transmission from males to females were the highest.
She added that there were more than 30,000 sex workers in the country which was a main route of transmitting HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.