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Aids toll likely to double this year

A third foreign prostitute has tested positive for Aids. CHITRA RAJARAM reports on the growing Aids threat here

THE number of people in Singapore known to be infected with the deadly Aids virus could double this year.

The latest June issue of the Epidemiological News Bulletin says 30 to 40 new caaes are expected to be discovered here by the end of the year.

This would be a phenomenal rise - a one-year total that almost matches the total accumulated since 1985.

So far, 38 people in Singapore have been found to have the Aids-causing human immunaodeficiency virus (HIV).

The Bulletin said the projected jump in the number of cases reflects those persons who have been infected for an unknown period of time but are just now being detected.

The Health Ministry has also been successful in detecting more HIV-infected people in recent months because of the intensification of contact tracing and counselling, and backed up by the Infectious Diseases Act, the Bulletin added.

The Bulletin is published by the Ministry of Environment’s Quarantine and Epidemiology Unit.

“The estimated predictions are based on past statistics, we don’t have anything else,’’ said an Aids doctor.

Two HIV-infected persons were detected in 1985, seven in 1986, 10 in 1987, and 15 in 1988. Four cases have been discovered thus far this year.

The steady increase in the number of cases detected has resulted from intense counselling by the Health Ministry. Its drive to trace people who have had contact with Aids victims has also turned up more cases.

The Bulletin emphasised that these efforts have to be further intensified due to recent evidence that HIV is spread locally.

All Aids counselling and tracing of sexual partners are done in a confidential manner. Thus, HIV-infected persons are now more willing to name their multiple local partners.

HIV infection is the first sign and indication of Aids. It usually turns into full-blown Aids later.

Last month, a World Health Organisation official (WHO) warned that the number of Aids cases worldwide would top one million by 1993. This is double the estimated 500,000 people with Aids since it was identified in 1981.

(Infographic: AIDS VIRUS INFECTING MORE PEOPLE

Number of people with the virus and the AIDS disease

Number of persons infected, 1985 - 1989

Infected with the virus

4 DEATHS

3 DEATHS)

AIDS SCREENING

Third foreign prostitute with Aids sent home

ANOTHER foreign prostitute has been sent home after testing positive for the Aids (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) virus.

This brings the number of Aids-infected foreign prostitutes repatriated to three - all women. This is reported in the latest June issue of the Epidemiological News Bulletin, a publication of the Environment Ministry.

The first two cases were detected in May. In the middle of last month, a third foreign prostitute was found to have the virus after a routine test.

Once a prostitute is diagnosed as having the Aids virus, she receives counselling.

Prostitutes who do not have Aids but have other sexually transmitted diseases (STD) are told what precautions to take.

The doctors treating them are not surprised by the three Aids cases.

“We have been expecting this for quite a number of years,” said one.

She said prostitutes have multiple sexual partners, sometimes of both sexes. Thus they fall Into the high-risk group for Aids.

She declined to estimate the number of foreign prostitutes in Singapore. But the three who tested positive for Aids are part of a group regularly surveyed by health authorities.

Male and female prostitutes undergo regular check-ups, usually for VD (veneral disease) every two weeks. During this routine test, they also take a blood test for Aids.

“Once they come to us, we start keeping regular checks on them,” said the doctor.

The frequency would depend on the individual case.

Patients who do not come on the appointed day are reminded by phone or post.

However, the doctor fears many prostitutes are not yet aware that Aids screening is available in Singapore.

“That is why we have gone to the various brothels and bars and met the managers to let them know where they can get treatment,” she said.

One can go for a blood test to any of the 10 government clinics.

In Singapore, the total number at people infected with the human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) remains at 38.

Twelve of those developed into Aids cases. So far, eight have died.

Two more have Aids-related illnesses and 23 are infected with the virus but show no symptoms.

References[]

Chitra Rajaram, "Aids toll likely to double this year", The New Paper, 4 July 1989[].

Acknowledgements[]

This article was archived by Roy Tan.

Archive of "Aids toll likely to double this year", The New Paper, 4 July 1989

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