Hong Kong - Hong Kong recorded its highest ever annual number of HIV infections in 2007 as the virus spreads rapidly among gay men practicing unsafe sex, doctors announced Tuesday. The city of 6.9 million saw 414 new cases in 2007, an 11 per cent increase on the number for 2006, while 17 new cases of full-blown AIDS were recorded, Hong Kong's Department of Health announced.
The surge in infections follows the discovery of clusters of cases originating from the same source, suggesting promiscuous gay men are meeting over the internet and having unsafe sex.
Hong Kong health officials say the worrying trend reflects a general rise in HIV infections among gay men Asia-wide as mortality rates from AIDS fall thanks to new treatments.
Announcing the figures Tuesday, department of health specialist Dr Wong Ka-hing said research indicated that gay men were less likely to use condoms than their heterosexual counterparts.
Of the 414 new cases last year, 168 were caused by homosexual or bisexual contact, 103 from heterosexual exposure, 43 from drug use while the source of the remainder was undetermined.
Since the first cases emerged in 1984, Hong Kong has now had a cumulative total of 3,612 cases of HIV and 934 cases of full-blown AIDS.
Dr Wong urged: "People (with a history of unsafe sex) should use a condom to reduce the risk of contracting HIV."
