MANILA, May 15 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines recorded 5,101 new HIV cases and 145 HIV/AIDS-related deaths from January to March 2025, according to data released by the Department of Health (DOH).
Of the newly reported cases, 4,849, or 95 percent, were male, while 252, or 5 percent, were female. Nearly 80 percent of the cases occurred among individuals aged 15 to 34, underscoring the growing prevalence of HIV infections among younger populations.
The average number of monthly cases during the first quarter of 2025 stood at 1,700, representing a 50 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
The DOH reported that nearly 96 percent of new infections in the first quarter were transmitted through sexual contact, with male-to-male sexual contact accounting for the majority of these cases.
Between 2020 and March 2025, the Philippines recorded 4,146 HIV-related deaths. Since 2016, the country has reported over 500 deaths annually among diagnosed HIV cases, the DOH noted.
The first HIV case in the Philippines was reported in 1984. Since then, a total of 148,831 HIV infections and 9,221 deaths have been recorded nationwide. ■