The Ministry of Health and Health Promotion Board Urge At-Risk Groups To Go For Regular Testing

31 December 2015

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1. 380 new cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections were reported among Singapore residents[1] in the first 10 months (January – October) of 2015. Of these, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has performed further analysis for 144 cases reported within the first 6 months (January – June) of 2015.

2. In summary:

(i) 97% were male.

(ii) More than half (54%) were aged 30 to 49 years.

(iii) About 39% already had late-stage HIV infection[2] when they were diagnosed. This is lower than the proportion of 49% last year.

3. Sexual intercourse remains the main mode of HIV transmission. Almost all (98%) of the 144 cases acquired the infection through sexual intercourse. Heterosexual transmission accounted for 38% of these cases while 50% were from homosexual transmission and 10% were from bisexual transmission.

4. About 42% of the newly reported cases were detected by HIV tests done in the course of medical care provisioning. Another 30% were detected during routine programmatic HIV screening[3] while 20% were detected through voluntary HIV screening. The rest were detected through other types of screening[4]. When differentiated by sexual transmission, a higher proportion of homosexuals (36%) had their HIV infection detected via voluntary screening compared to heterosexuals (4%).

5. Annex A provides detailed data for the cases reported. Information on newly reported HIV cases is regularly updated on the MOH website.

Public advisory

6. The most effective way to prevent HIV infection is to remain faithful to one’s spouse/partner and to avoid casual sex, and sex with sex workers. Persons engaging in high-risk sexual behaviour, such as having multiple sexual partners or engaging in casual or commercial sex, are strongly advised to use condoms to reduce their risk of HIV infection. Condoms should be used consistently and correctly during every sexual encounter.

7. MOH and the Health Promotion Board (HPB) urge individuals at risk of HIV infection to go for regular HIV testing. Regular HIV testing can help an infected person to be diagnosed at an earlier stage of infection. With early diagnosis, a HIV positive person can access care and treatment earlier, and also receive counselling on how to protect their partners from infection. With effective treatment, persons living with HIV can delay the onset of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and continue to lead an active and productive life.

8. HPB has been working with partner organisations to conduct programmes and campaigns targeted at high-risk individuals to urge them to take proactive measures and go for early and regular HIV testing. A lifestyle based approach to education is also taken, where HPB and their partners reach out to high-risk individuals via social settings which are familiar to them, increasing the targeted reach.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH

1 DECEMBER 2015

===================

ANNEX A

TABLE 1

NUMBER OF SINGAPORE RESIDENTS REPORTED WITH HIV /AIDS

(1985 – Jun 2015)

Table caption

Year	HIV/AIDS
Year	Male	Female	Total	Rate*
1985	2	0	2	0.8
1986	6	1	7	2.8
1987	10	0	10	3.9
1988	15	0	15	5.8
1989	9	1	10	3.8
1990	17	0	17	6.2
1991	39	3	42	15.0
1992	49	6	55	19.3
1993	58	6	64	22.0
1994	76	10	86	29.1
1995	102	9	111	36.8
1996	123	16	139	45.3
1997	157	16	173	55.4
1998	167	32	199	62.6
1999	171	35	206	63.8
2000	193	33	226	69.0
2001	204	33	237	71.3
2002	206	28	234	69.2
2003	212	30	242	71.9
2004	290	21	311	91.1
2005	287	30	317	91.4
2006	327	32	359	101.8
2007	392	31	423	118.1
2008 2009 2010 2011	426 418 403 430	30 45 38 31	456 463 441 461	125.2 124.0 116.9 121.7
2012	437	32	469	122.8
2013	428	26	454	118.08
2014	422	34	456	117.81
Jan – Jun 2015	139	5	144	-
Total	6215	614	6829	-

* per million population.

TABLE 2

DISTRIBUTION OF HIV/AIDS - INFECTED SINGAPORE RESIDENTS BY MODES OF TRANSMISSION

(1985 – Jun 2015)

Table caption

Mode of Transmission	1985 – 2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015 Jan-Jun
Sexual Transmission
Heterosexual	2370	248	284	228	210	220	188	216	55
Homosexual	645	151	139	163	195	210	210	182	72
Bisexual	237	34	27	41	42	27	38	42	14
Intravenous drug use	74	20	7	4	4	2	4	1	0
Blood Transfusion	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Renal Transplant overseas	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Perinatal (mother to child)	29	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0
Uncertain	122	3	6	3	10	10	14	15	3
Total	3485	456	463	441	461	469	454	456	144

TABLE 3

HIV/AIDS - INFECTED SINGAPORE RESIDENTS BY MARITAL STATUS AND SEX

(1985 – Jun 2015)

Table caption

Marital status		1985 - 2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015 Jan-Jun
Male
	Single	1872	280	255	265	300	295	292	287	105
	Married	874	105	116	108	101	102	92	102	23
	Divorced/Separated	296	37	40	26	26	31	38	27	8
	Widowed	70	4	7	4	3	9	6	6	3
	Total	3112	426	418	403	430	437	428	422	139
Female
	Single	77	1	8	8	8	7	8	4	1
	Married	225	17	26	20	14	13	14	22	3
	Divorced/Separated	45	7	9	6	6	10	3	6	1
	Widowed	26	5	2	4	3	2	1	2	0
	Total	373	30	45	38	31	32	26	34	5
Total
	Single	1949	281	263	273	308	302	300	291	106
	Married	1099	122	142	128	115	115	106	124	26
	Divorced/Separated	341	44	49	32	32	41	41	33	9
	Widowed	96	9	9	8	6	11	7	8	3
	Total	3485	456	463	441	461	469	454	456	144

TABLE 4

HIV/AIDS - INFECTED SINGAPORE RESIDENTS BY ETHNIC GROUP

(1985 – Jun 2015)

Table caption

Ethnic Group	1985 - 2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015 Jan-Jun
Chinese	2902	363	341	329	355	356	323	301	110
Malay	335	71	76	69	77	80	94	90	20
Indian	146	15	28	27	24	22	22	41	7
Others	102	7	18	16	5	11	15	24	7
Total	3485	456	463	441	461	469	454	456	144

TABLE 5

HIV/AIDS - INFECTED MALE SINGAPORE RESIDENTS BY AGE AND MODES OF TRANSMISSION (1985 – Jun 2015)

Table caption

Age group			1985 - 2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015 Jan-Jun
Male	Heterosexual
		15 – 19	3	2	1	0	0	0	0	1	0
		20 – 29	221	11	10	16	12	15	14	15	5
		30 – 39	587	37	42	30	28	25	23	29	7
		40 – 49	597	73	72	58	48	42	36	49	18
		50 – 59	365	59	64	47	48	68	52	49	13
		60 & above	264	37	52	41	45	39	38	39	8
		Total	2037	219	241	192	181	189	163	182	51
	Homosexual/Bisexual
		15 – 19	18	4	2	4	3	9	1	5	1
		20 – 29	230	52	44	50	73	72	70	61	27
		30 – 39	388	73	62	77	86	81	77	75	27
		40 – 49	191	39	45	58	52	58	66	51	22
		50 – 59	41	15	11	12	18	12	31	28	9
		60 & above	7	2	2	2	5	4	3	4	0
		Total	875	185	166	203	237	236	248	224	86
	Others
		0 – 14	15	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0
		15 –19	3	1	0	1	1	1	1	0	0
		20 –29	24	3	2	0	1	2	2	6	0
		30 –39	64	10	5	2	2	2	2	4	0
		40 –49	58	4	3	3	1	3	6	1	1
		50 –59	25	4	1	0	7	2	3	3	1
		60 & above	11	0	0	0	0	2	3	2	0
		Total	200	22	11	8	12	12	17	16	2
	Total
		0 – 14	15	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0
		15 – 19	24	7	3	5	4	10	2	6	1
		20 – 29	475	66	56	66	86	89	86	82	32
		30 – 39	1039	120	109	109	116	108	102	108	34
		40 – 49	846	116	120	119	101	103	108	101	41
		50 – 59	431	78	76	59	73	82	86	80	23
		60 & above	282	39	54	43	50	45	44	45	8
		Total	3112	426	418	403	430	437	428	422	139

TABLE 6

HIV/AIDS - INFECTED FEMALE SINGAPORE RESIDENTS BY AGE AND MODES OF TRANSMISSION (1985 – Jun 2015)

Table caption

Age group			1985 - 2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015 Jan-Jun
Female	Sexual
		15 – 19	8	0	0	1	0	1	1	1	0
		20 – 29	115	3	8	5	6	3	5	2	0
		30 – 39	94	10	15	7	7	4	8	8	2
		40 – 49	64	8	8	8	4	8	5	9	0
		50 – 59	44	4	6	9	5	12	4	9	1
		60& above	15	4	6	7	7	4	2	5	1
		Total	340	29	43	37	29	32	25	34	4
	Others
		0 – 14	15	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
		15 –19	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
		20 –29	5	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
		30 –39	6	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0
		40 –49	4	1	0	1	1	0	1	0	1
		50 –59	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
		60 & above	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
		Total	33	1	2	1	2	0	1	0	1
	Total
		0 – 14	15	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
		15 – 19	8	0	0	1	0	1	1	1	0
		20 – 29	120	3	9	5	6	3	5	2	0
		30 – 39	100	10	16	7	8	4	8	8	2
		40 – 49	68	9	8	9	5	8	6	9	0
		50 – 59	45	4	6	9	5	12	4	9	1
		60 & above	17	4	6	7	7	4	2	5	1
		Total	373	30	45	38	31	32	26	34	5

[1] Singapore citizens and Permanent Residents.

[2] CD4+ cell count of less than 200 per cu mm or AIDS-defining opportunistic infections or both.

[3] Includes screening programmes for individuals with sexually transmitted infections, hospital inpatients and those identified through contact tracing

[4] For instance, general health screening, medical checks for insurance, etc.