UPDATE ON THE HIV/AIDS SITUATION IN SINGAPORE 2019 (JUNE 2020)

2 June 2020

There were 323 new cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections reported among Singapore residents[1] in 2019. This brings the total number of HIV-infected Singapore residents to 8,618 as of end 2019, of whom 2,097 had passed away. The number of new HIV cases among Singapore residents has been between 400 to 500 per year from 2007 to 2017 and about 310 to 330 in 2018 and 2019.

2. Of the 323 cases, 95% were male and 66% were aged 20 to 49 years. About 52% had late-stage HIV infection[2]when they were diagnosed.

3. Sexual intercourse remains the main mode of HIV transmission. 97% (312 out of 323) of the cases had acquired the infection through sexual intercourse. Heterosexual transmission accounted for 40% of cases, while homosexual transmission occurred in 49% and bisexual transmission in 8% of cases. (Please refer to the Annex for details.)

4. 54% of the newly reported cases were detected during the course of medical care and typically at a late stage of HIV infection. Another 22% were detected during routine programmatic HIV screening and 16% were detected from self-initiated HIV screening i.e. voluntary screening. Cases detected via voluntary screening tended to be at the early stage of infection. When differentiated by sexual transmission, a higher proportion of homosexuals and bisexuals (25%) had their HIV infection detected via voluntary screening compared to heterosexuals (5%).

Public Advisory

5. The most effective way to prevent HIV infection is to remain faithful to one’s spouse/ partner and to avoid casual sex, or 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.

6. The Ministry of Health and the Health Promotion Board (HPB) urge individuals who engage in high-risk sexual behaviour to go for early and regular HIV testing. With early diagnosis, an infected person can be treated earlier, and receive counselling on how to protect their partners from infection. Early treatment and care can delay the onset of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), and also help reduce HIV spread in the community. HIV testing is available at polyclinics, private clinics, and hospitals. There are also anonymous HIV test sites, where personal particulars are not required when signing up for a HIV test.

7. HPB has been working with partner organisations to conduct programmes and campaigns targeted at high-risk individuals to urge them to go for regular HIV testing. HPB’s partners conduct various educational outreach programmes on HIV prevention and management using a lifestyle approach. These programmes reach out to at-risk individuals through social settings to encourage them to take protective measures and to go for early and regular HIV testing.

8. More information about HIV and AIDS can be found at www.healthhub.sg

ANNEX

TABLE 1: NUMBER OF SINGAPORE RESIDENTS REPORTED WITH HIV/AIDS (1985 – 2019)

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
1992	49	6	55	19.3
1993	58	6	64	22
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
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	426	30	456	125.2
2009	418	45	463	124
2010	403	38	441	116.9
2011	430	31	461	121.7
2012	437	32	469	122.8
2013	428	26	454	118.1
2014	422	34	456	117.81
2015	423	32	455	116.6
2016	380	28	408	103.7
2017	408	26	434	109.4
2018	290	23	313	7.8
2019	308	15	323	8.0
Total	7885	733	8618	-

*Per 100,000 resident population.

Table 2: DISTRIBUTION OF HIV/AIDS - INFECTED SINGAPORE RESIDENTS, BY MODES OF TRANSMISSION (1985 – 2019)

Mode of Transmission	1985-2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	Total
Sexual Transmission
Heterosexual	3340	220	188	217	171	148	155	135	128	4702
Homosexual	1293	210	210	181	232	213	218	131	158	2846
Bisexual	381	27	38	42	35	28	44	32	26	653
Intravenous drug use	109	2	4	1	4	4	0	1	1	126
Blood Transfusion	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3
Renal Transplant overseas	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5
Perinatal (mother to child)	31	0	0	0	0	2*	1*	0	0	34
Uncertain/Others	144	10	14	15	13	13	16	14	10	249
Total	5306	469	454	456	455	408	434	313	323	8618

*Transmission occurred overseas

Table 3: HIV/AIDS - INFECTED SINGAPORE RESIDENTS, BY MARITAL STATUS AND SEX (1985 – 2019)

Marital status		1985 - 2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	Total
Male
	Single	2971	295	292	287	321	282	316	199	214	5177
	Married	1305	102	92	102	64	68	65	68	67	1933
	Divorced/Separated	425	31	38	27	29	24	23	12	22	631
	Widowed	88	9	6	6	9	6	4	11	5	144
	Total	4789	437	428	422	423	380	408	290	308	7885
Female
	Single	102	7	8	4	5	1	7	6	2	142
	Married	302	13	14	22	18	16	11	11	9	416
	Divorced/Separated	73	10	3	6	9	9	7	3	3	123
	Widowed	40	2	1	2	0	2	1	3	1	52
	Total	517	32	26	34	32	28	26	23	15	733
Total
	Single	3073	302	300	291	326	283	323	205	216	5319
	Married	1607	115	106	124	82	84	76	79	76	2349
	Divorced/Separated	498	41	41	33	38	33	30	15	25	754
	Widowed	128	11	7	8	9	8	5	14	6	196
	Total	5306	469	454	456	455	408	434	313	323	8618

Table 4: HIV/AIDS - INFECTED SINGAPORE RESIDENTS BY ETHNIC GROUP (1985 – 2019)

Ethnic Group	1985 - 2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	Total
Chinese	4290	356	323	301	340	275	299	209	197	6590
Malay	628	80	94	90	72	88	82	59	92	1285
Indian	240	22	22	41	22	29	27	29	20	452
Others	148	11	15	24	21	16	26	16	14	291
Total	5306	469	454	456	455	408	434	313	323	8618

Table 5: HIV/AIDS - INFECTED MALE SINGAPORE RESIDENTS BY AGE AND MODES OF TRANSMISSION (1985 – 2019)

Age group			1986 - 2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	Total
Male	Heterosexual
		15 – 19	6	0	0	1	1	0	1	0	2	11
		20 – 29	270	15	14	15	13	10	17	8	5	367
		30 – 39	724	25	23	29	25	17	19	16	25	903
		40 – 49	848	42	36	50	41	30	31	25	21	1124
		50 – 59	583	68	52	49	34	41	38	38	32	935
		60 & above	439	39	38	39	30	23	26	27	28	689
		Total	2870	189	163	183	144	121	132	114	113	4029
	Homosexual/Bisexual
		15 – 19	31	9	1	5	4	2	4	3	6	65
		20 – 29	449	72	70	61	80	82	77	45	41	977
		30 – 39	686	81	77	75	93	67	75	42	51	1247
		40 – 49	385	58	66	50	56	60	62	41	51	829
		50 – 59	97	12	31	28	29	25	38	26	29	315
		60 & above	18	4	3	4	5	5	5	6	6	56
		Total	1666	236	248	223	267	241	261	163	184	3489
	Others
		0 – 14	17	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	19
		15 –19	6	1	1	0	0	1	2	1	1	13
		20 –29	30	2	2	6	2	1	1	0	3	47
		30 –39	83	2	2	4	2	3	3	2	1	102
		40 –49	69	3	6	1	3	5	5	1	5	98
		50 –59	37	2	3	3	4	4	3	5	1	62
		60 & above	11	2	3	2	1	2	1	4	0	26
		Total	253	12	17	16	12	18	15	13	11	367
	Total
		0 – 14	17	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	19
		15 – 19	43	10	2	6	5	3	7	4	9	89
		20 – 29	749	89	86	82	95	93	95	53	49	1391
		30 – 39	1493	108	102	108	120	87	97	60	77	2252
		40 – 49	1302	103	108	101	100	95	98	67	77	2051
		50 – 59	717	82	86	80	67	70	79	69	62	1312
		60 & above	468	45	44	45	36	30	32	37	34	771
		Total	4789	437	428	422	423	380	408	290	308	7885

Table 6: HIV/AIDS - INFECTED FEMALE SINGAPORE RESIDENTS BY AGE AND MODES OF TRANSMISSION (1985 – 2019)

Age group			1985-2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	Total
Female	Sexual
		15 – 19	9	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	12
		20 – 29	137	3	5	2	2	5	7	4	1	166
		30 – 39	133	4	8	8	8	3	3	4	4	175
		40 – 49	92	8	5	9	9	7	6	4	4	144
		50 – 59	68	12	4	9	7	8	5	4	4	121
		60& above	39	4	2	5	3	4	3	5	2	67
		Total	478	32	25	34	29	27	24	21	15	685
	Others
		0 – 14	15	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	15
		15 –19	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1
		20 –29	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6
		30 –39	8	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	10
		40 –49	7	0	1	0	1	0	0	1	0	10
		50 –59	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	3
		60 & above	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	3
		Total	39	0	1	0	3	1	2	2	0	48
	Total
		0 – 14	15	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	15
		15 – 19	9	1	1	1	0	0	1	0	0	13
		20 – 29	143	3	5	2	2	5	7	4	1	172
		30 – 39	141	4	8	8	9	4	3	4	4	185
		40 – 49	99	8	6	9	10	7	6	5	4	154
		50 – 59	69	12	4	9	8	8	5	5	4	124
		60 & above	41	4	2	5	3	4	4	5	2	70
		Total	517	32	26	34	32	28	26	23	15	733

[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 cases that presented with HIV-specific symptoms and cases with non-HIV related medical conditions

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