HIV Numbers Soar

Seattle - More and more people are choosing to get tested for the HIV virus these days and due to the increase in testing there may be a record high for those diagnosed with the disease. This is especially true for the country of Singapore.

Last year there were 356 people diagnosed with HIV and this year there were 382 resulting in a 7% difference. The people who were diagnosed this year were tested within the first ten months. In a statement that was issued to go hand in hand with World Aids Day it was said that the numbers were expected to be higher than last years number.

The United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS has reported that worldwide there are 33 million people who have the virus and 2.7 million of those diagnosed found out this past year. In April, Singapore passed a law that has made some people fearful and they chose to get tested. The law prevents those with the HIV/AIDS virus to have sex with anyone before warning them of the risk associated with the act and even for those who have the virus but are not aware of it who choose to live a risque lifestyle such as having sex with a lot of people or using drugs intravenously as illegal. Along with the new law it is believed that more people are choosing to be tested due to more awareness within the country of the virus and what happens to the body if it is contracted.

There have been more testing sites for the virus for those that want to be tested anonymously open up this year. There was only one the year before. Hospitals are also testing patients who come in and are willing to be tested.

The extra awareness put forth in Singapore has also helped those who catch the virus to get the treatment they need earlier and to help make them aware of the benefits of having protected sex and also the possibility of the virus being passed on to someone else lessen over time.

A big reason that people in Singapore choose to not get tested is because of the high numbers of those who say that if they have a family member who are HIV/AIDS positive they wouldn’t accept them. The acceptance of those with the virus is very low in Singapore and causes a fear in others to learn whether they have the life threatening virus or not.