HIV infections on the rise in Sri Lanka - health officials
October 26, 2022 08:38 pm
At least 429 people infected with HIV/AIDS have been diagnosed within the last 09 months of this year, the National STD/AIDS Control Programme says.
The infected people include 14 University students and also three school students, according to the National STD/AIDS Control Programme.
Generally, HIV/AIDS infection occurs through the 03 main ways of blood transfusion from an infected individual, from an infected mother to her newborn child and unprotected sex, health officials said.
If an individual is infected with HIV/AIDS and did not receive proper treatment, it will affect his immunity system the worst, and will develop within 02-07 years while no symptoms could be seen, they said.
The number of HIV/AIDS infected cases reported within the country was 410, in the year 2021, according to statistics.
Commenting on the matter, the Director of National STD/AIDS Control Programme, Dr. Rasanjalee Hettiarachchi claimed that the number of HIV/AIDS infections reported within the age group of 18-30 has doubled, especially within Colombo and Gampaha districts.
