The number of new HIV positive patients in the country is on the increase year by year, Senior Medical Officer of Sexually Transmitted Diseases Unit of the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital Dr.Gamini Wimalarathne said.
According to him, 249 new HIV positive cases were reported last year (2016) and it was the biggest ever number reported in a year.
“Although 2,139 HIV patients have been reported countrywide so far,it is believed that the number may be around 4,000,” he said.
“There are young children among HIV positive cases and most of them have had been infected through their infected mothers,”Dr.Wimalarathne said.
“The probability of transmitting HIV from mother to an infant is minimum now as every pregnant mother is checked for Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) including HIV now,” he said.
He noted that sex education is a must to minimise the spread of STD’s including HIV.