UPDATE ON THE HIV/AIDS SITUATION IN SINGAPORE 2016 (JUNE 2017)

16 Jul 2018

UPDATE ON THE HIV/AIDS SITUATION IN SINGAPORE 2016 (JUNE 2017)

408 new cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections were reported among Singapore residents¹ in 2016. This brings the total number of HIV-infected Singapore residents to 7,548 as of end 2016, of whom 1,888 had passed away. The number of new cases of HIV infections reported in 2016 is lower than in previous years, where an average of 450 cases had been reported each year since 2008.

Of the 408 cases reported in 2016, 93% were male and 72% were between 20 to 49 years old. About 41% already had late-stage HIV infection² when they were diagnosed. This has remained similar to the 40% recorded in 2015.

Sexual intercourse remains the main mode of HIV transmission with 95% (389 out of 408) of cases acquiring the infection in this manner. Heterosexual sex was the mode of transmission for 36% of all cases, while 52% were from homosexual transmission and 7% from bisexual transmission.

40% of the newly reported cases were detected in the course of medical care provision³. Such cases are typically at the late stage of their HIV infection. Another 27% were detected during routine programmatic HIV screening⁴ and 24% were detected as a result of voluntary HIV screening. Cases detected via voluntary screening are more likely to be at the early stage of their infection. When differentiated by sexual transmission, a higher proportion of homosexuals/bisexuals (38%) had their HIV infection detected via voluntary screening compared to heterosexuals (5%). (Please refer to the Annex for details.)

Public Advisory

The most effective way to prevent HIV infection is to remain faithful to one’s spouse/partner and to avoid casual sex, or sex with sex workers. Those engaging in high-risk sexual behaviour, such as having multiple sexual partners or engaging in casual or commercial sex, are strongly advised to use condoms to reduce their risk of HIV infection. Condoms should be used consistently and correctly during every sexual encounter.

The Ministry of Health and the Health Promotion Board (HPB) urge individuals who engage in high-risk sexual behaviour to go for early and regular HIV testing. With early diagnosis, an infected person can be treated earlier, and receive counselling on how to protect their partners from infection. Early treatment and care can delay the onset of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and allows the infected individual to live an active and productive life. Early treatment also reduces HIV spread in the community.

HPB has been working with partner organisations to conduct programmes and campaigns targeted at high-risk individuals to urge them to go for regular HIV testing. HPB’s partners conduct various educational outreach programmes on HIV prevention and management using a lifestyle approach. These programmes reach out to at-risk individuals through social settings to encourage them to take protective measures and to go for early and regular HIV testing.

More information about HIV and AIDS can be found at www.healthhub.sg

ANNEX

TABLE 1
NUMBER OF SINGAPORE RESIDENTS REPORTED WITH HIV /AIDS
(1985 – 2016)

Year	HIV/AIDS
Year	Male	Female	Total	Rate*
1985	2	0	2	0.8
1986	6	1	7	2.8
1987	10	0	10	3.9
1988	15	0	15	5.8
1989	9	1	10	3.8
1990	17	0	17	6.2
1991	39	3	42	15
1992	49	6	55	19.3
1993	58	6	64	22
1994	76	10	86	29.1
1995	102	9	111	36.8
1996	123	16	139	45.3
1997	157	16	173	55.4
1998	167	32	199	62.6
1999	171	35	206	63.8
2000	193	33	226	69
2001	204	33	237	71.3
2002	206	28	234	69.2
2003	212	30	242	71.9
2004	290	21	311	91.1
2005	287	30	317	91.4
2006	327	32	359	101.8
2007	392	31	423	118.1
2008	426	30	456	125.2
2009	418	45	463	124
2010	403	38	441	116.9
2011	430	31	461	121.7
2012	437	32	469	122.8
2013	428	26	454	118.1
2014	422	34	456	117.81
2015	423	32	455	116.6
2016	380	28	408	103.7
Total	6879	669	7548	-
	* per million resident population.

TABLE 2
DISTRIBUTION OF HIV/AIDS - INFECTED SINGAPORE RESIDENTS
BY MODES OF TRANSMISSION
(1985 – 2016)

Mode of Transmission	1985 - 2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	Total
Sexual Transmission
Heterosexual	2902	228	210	220	188	217	171	148	4284
Homosexual	935	163	195	210	210	181	232	213	2339
Bisexual	298	41	42	27	38	42	35	28	551
Intravenous drug use	101	4	4	2	4	1	4	4	124
Blood Transfusion	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3
Renal Transplant overseas	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5
Perinatal (mother to child)	29	2*	0	0	0	0	0	2*	33
Uncertain	131	3	10	10	14	15	13	13	209
Total	4404	441	461	469	454	456	455	408	7548

_{*Transmission occurred overseas}

HIV/AIDS - INFECTED SINGAPORE RESIDENTS
BY MARITAL STATUS AND SEX
(1985 – 2016)

Marital status		1985 - 2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	Total
Male
	Single	2406	265	300	295	292	287	321	282	4448
	Married	1096	108	101	102	92	102	64	68	1733
	Divorced/Separated	373	26	26	31	38	27	29	24	574
	Widowed	81	4	3	9	6	6	9	6	124
	Total	3956	403	430	437	428	422	423	380	6879
Female
	Single	86	8	8	7	8	4	5	1	127
	Married	268	20	14	13	14	22	18	16	385
	Divorced/Separated	61	6	6	10	3	6	9	9	110
	Widowed	33	4	3	2	1	2	0	2	47
	Total	448	38	31	32	26	34	32	28	669
Total
	Single	2492	273	308	302	300	291	326	283	4575
	Married	1364	128	115	115	106	124	82	84	2118
	Divorced/Separated	434	32	32	41	41	33	38	33	684
	Widowed	114	8	6	11	7	8	9	8	171
	Total	4404	441	461	469	454	456	455	408	7548

TABLE 4
HIV/AIDS - INFECTED SINGAPORE RESIDENTS BY ETHNIC GROUP
(1985 – 2016)

Ethnic Group	1985 - 2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	Total
Ethnic Group	1985 - 2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	Total
Chinese	3606	329	355	356	323	301	340	275	5885
Malay	482	69	77	80	94	90	72	88	1051
Indian	189	27	24	22	22	41	22	29	377
Others	127	16	5	11	15	24	21	16	235
Total	4404	441	461	469	454	456	455	408	7548

TABLE 5
HIV/AIDS - INFECTED MALE SINGAPORE RESIDENTS BY AGE AND MODES OF TRANSMISSION (1985 – 2016)

Age group			1986 - 2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	Total
Male	Heterosexual
		15 – 19	6	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	8
		20 – 29	242	16	12	15	14	15	13	10	337
		30 – 39	666	30	28	25	23	29	25	17	843
		40 – 49	742	58	48	42	36	50	41	30	1047
		50 – 59	488	47	48	68	52	49	34	41	827
		60 & above	353	41	45	39	38	39	30	23	608
		Total	2497	192	181	189	163	183	144	121	3670
	Homosexual/Bisexual
		15 – 19	24	4	3	9	1	5	4	2	52
		20 – 29	326	50	73	72	70	61	80	82	814
		30 – 39	523	77	86	81	77	75	93	67	1079
		40 – 49	275	58	52	58	66	50	56	60	675
		50 – 59	67	12	18	12	31	28	29	25	222
		60 & above	11	2	5	4	3	4	5	5	39
		Total	1226	203	237	236	248	223	267	241	2881
	Others
		0 – 14	15	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	19
		15 –19	4	1	1	1	1	0	0	1	9
		20 –29	29	0	1	2	2	6	2	1	43
		30 –39	79	2	2	2	2	4	2	3	96
		40 –49	65	3	1	3	6	1	3	5	87
		50 –59	30	0	7	2	3	3	4	4	53
		60 & above	11	0	0	2	3	2	1	2	21
		Total	233	8	12	12	17	16	12	18	328
	Total
		0 – 14	15	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	19
		15 – 19	34	5	4	10	2	6	5	3	69
		20 – 29	597	66	86	89	86	82	95	93	1194
		30 – 39	1268	109	116	108	102	108	120	87	2018
		40 – 49	1082	119	101	103	108	101	100	95	1809
		50 – 59	585	59	73	82	86	80	67	70	1102
		60 & above	375	43	50	45	44	45	36	30	668
		Total	3956	403	430	437	428	422	423	380	6879

TABLE 6
HIV/AIDS - INFECTED FEMALE SINGAPORE RESIDENTS BY AGE AND MODES OF TRANSMISSION (1985 – 2016)

Age group			1985-2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	Total
Female	Sexual
		15 – 19	8	1	0	1	1	1	0	0	12
		20 – 29	126	5	6	3	5	2	2	5	149
		30 – 39	119	7	7	4	8	8	8	3	161
		40 – 49	80	8	4	8	5	9	9	7	123
		50 – 59	54	9	5	12	4	9	7	8	100
		60& above	25	7	7	4	2	5	3	4	53
		Total	412	37	29	32	25	34	29	27	598
	Others
		0 – 14	15	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	15
		15 –19	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
		20 –29	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6
		30 –39	7	0	1	0	0	0	1	1	10
		40 –49	5	1	1	0	1	0	1	0	9
		50 –59	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	2
		60 & above	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
		Total	36	1	2	0	1	0	3	1	44
	Total
		0 – 14	15	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	15
		15 – 19	8	1	0	1	1	1	0	0	12
		20 – 29	132	5	6	3	5	2	2	5	160
		30 – 39	126	7	8	4	8	8	9	4	174
		40 – 49	85	9	5	8	6	9	10	7	139
		50 – 59	55	9	5	12	4	9	8	8	110
		60 & above	27	7	7	4	2	5	3	4	59
		Total	448	38	31	32	26	34	32	28	669

[1] Singapore citizens and permanent residents

[2] CD4+ cell count of less than 200 per cu mm or AIDS-defining opportunistic infections or both

[3] Includes cases that presented with HIV-specific symptoms and cases with non-HIV related medical conditions

[4] Includes screening programmes for individuals with sexually transmitted infections, hospital inpatients and those identified through contact tracing