Over 1,380 HIV cases in Sri Lanka

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

HIV cases in Sri Lanka stand at 1,388 as at June 30, this year, statistics reveal.

The number of HIV positive cases seeking treatment is 775 while 300 HIV infected persons are on Anti Reteroviral Therapy (ART), Consultant Venereologist Dr. G. Weerasinghe said. Dr. Weerasinghe said 95 percent of HIV infections occur due to sexual relationships and of this 84.3 percent infections take place through hetero sexual relationships.

Another 10.5 percent infections take place through homosexual and bi-sexual relationships while 4.5 percent of infections take place through prenatal relationships. ‘Only 0.4 percent infections take place through blood transfusions,’ he said.

”The HIV prevalence rate in Sri Lanka is less than 0.1 percent but it can increase due to various reasons,” Dr Weerasinghe said.