A doctor extracts blood from a patient for HIV testing at a community center in Iloilo, Oct. 6, 2023. The spread of HIV has drastically slowed down in many parts of the world since the epidemic’s peak in 1995. But in the Philippines, infections have been rising steeply for over a decade – this year, around 50 people are diagnosed with HIV daily, compared to only four a day in 2010. Jam Sta. Rosa, AFP/file

MANILA — The Philippines expects its human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases to breach the 500,000 mark in 6 years, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Saturday.

The Philippines has been logging around 50 new HIV cases a day, while the current number of HIV-positive individuals in the country has reached 185,000, said Dr. Eric Tayag, spokesperson of the DOH.

“Sa mga ilang taon pa baka umabot tayo ng kalahating milyon… ‘Yan po ay estimate na mga anim na taon pa,” he said in a news forum in Quezon City.

Tayag attributed the high number to the rise of social media, and the public’s hesitance to get tested for HIV, noting that the Philippines only has a 40 percent test rate for the said virus.

“Bago ang social media ang nagkakahawaan sa HIV ay sa cruising sites,” the DOH spokesperson said.

“Doon at doon sila naghahanap ng sexual partner so sila sila lang ang nagkakahawaan doon. Ngayon, noong nagkaroon ng social media, kahit sino puwede niyong maging partner, mayroon pang orgy,” he said.

While majority of the HIV cases in the Philippines still belong to the 25-34-year old age group, cases among those between 15 and 24-years old are also increasing, Tayag said.

Poor education, stigma fuel Philippines' soaring HIV infections

“Isa din sa mga minomonitor natin ay mga OFW (overseas Filipino workers) natin,” he said.

“Minomonitor natin ang mga buntis dahil gusto natin malaman na baka si baby din ay nainfect,” he said.

“Isa pa diyan yung nagtuturok ng pinagbabawal na gamot o painkiller sapagkat nakukuha din sa infected na karayom,” he added.

The DOH has been launching information campaigns to encourage the public to visit their testing and treatment hubs to stem the spread of HIV.

Campaign vs HIV stigma, discrimination launched

HIV attacks the white blood cells, weakening the immune system of those infected with the virus. If left untreated, HIV may develop in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

The World Health Organization noted that “HIV is spread from the body fluids of an infected person, including blood, breast milk, semen and vaginal fluids.”

While it may be transmitted from a mother to her fetus, it is not spread by kisses, hugs or sharing food, the WHO said.