UPDATE ON THE HIV/AIDS SITUATION IN SINGAPORE 2017 (JUNE 2018)

16 Jul 2018

UPDATE ON THE HIV/AIDS SITUATION IN SINGAPORE 2017 (JUNE 2018)

There were 434 new cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections reported among Singapore residents[1] in 2017. This brings the total number of HIV-infected Singapore residents to 7,982 as of end 2017, of whom 1,960 had passed away. The number of new HIV cases among Singapore residents has remained consistent at about 450 per year since 2008.

2. Of the 434 cases, 94% were male and 71% were between 20 to 49 years old. About 41% had late-stage HIV infection[2]when they were diagnosed.

3. Sexual intercourse remains the main mode of HIV transmission. 96% (417 out of 434) of the cases acquired the infection through sexual intercourse. Heterosexual transmission accounted for 36% of all cases, while 50% were from homosexual transmission and 10% from bisexual transmission. (Please refer to the Annex for details.)

4. 45% of the newly reported cases were detected in the course of medical care provision[3]. Such cases are typically at the late stage of HIV infection. Another 27% were detected during routine programmatic HIV screening[4] and 23% were detected from self-initiated HIV screening i.e. voluntary screening. Cases detected via voluntary screening are more likely to be at the early stage of infection. When differentiated by sexual transmission, a higher proportion of homosexuals and bisexuals (33%) had their HIV infection detected via voluntary screening compared to heterosexuals (8%).

Public Advisory

5. 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. Persons 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.

6. 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 a productive life. Early treatment also helps reduce HIV spread in the community.

7. 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.

8. 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 – 2017)

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 2017	380 408	28 26	408 434	103.7 109.4
Total	7287	695	7982	-
	* per million resident population.

TABLE 2

DISTRIBUTION OF HIV/AIDS - INFECTED SINGAPORE RESIDENTS

BY MODES OF TRANSMISSION

(1985 – 2017)

Mode of Transmission	1985 - 2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	Total
Sexual Transmission
Heterosexual	3130	210	220	188	217	171	148	155	4439
Homosexual	1098	195	210	210	181	232	213	218	2557
Bisexual	339	42	27	38	42	35	28	44	595
Intravenous drug use	105	4	2	4	1	4	4	0	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)	31	0	0	0	0	0	2*	1*	34
Uncertain/Others	134	10	10	14	15	13	13	16	225
Total	4845	461	469	454	456	455	408	434	7982

*Transmission occurred overseas

HIV/AIDS - INFECTED SINGAPORE RESIDENTS

BY MARITAL STATUS AND SEX

(1985 – 2017)

Marital status		1985 - 2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	Total
Male
	Single	2671	300	295	292	287	321	282	316	4764
	Married	1204	101	102	92	102	64	68	65	1798
	Divorced/Separated	399	26	31	38	27	29	24	23	597
	Widowed	85	3	9	6	6	9	6	4	128
	Total	4359	430	437	428	422	423	380	408	7287
Female
	Single	94	8	7	8	4	5	1	7	134
	Married	288	14	13	14	22	18	16	11	396
	Divorced/Separated	67	6	10	3	6	9	9	7	117
	Widowed	37	3	2	1	2	0	2	1	48
	Total	486	31	32	26	34	32	28	26	695
Total
	Single	2765	308	302	300	291	326	283	323	4898
	Married	1492	115	115	106	124	82	84	76	2194
	Divorced/Separated	466	32	41	41	33	38	33	30	714
	Widowed	122	6	11	7	8	9	8	5	176
	Total	4845	461	469	454	456	455	408	434	7982

TABLE 4

HIV/AIDS - INFECTED SINGAPORE RESIDENTS BY ETHNIC GROUP

(1985 – 2017)

Ethnic Group	1985 - 2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	Total
Ethnic Group	1985 - 2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	Total
Chinese	3935	355	356	323	301	340	275	299	6184
Malay	551	77	80	94	90	72	88	82	1134
Indian	216	24	22	22	41	22	29	27	403
Others	143	5	11	15	24	21	16	26	261
Total	4845	461	469	454	456	455	408	434	7982

TABLE 5

HIV/AIDS - INFECTED MALE SINGAPORE RESIDENTS BY AGE AND MODES OF TRANSMISSION (1985 – 2017)

Age group			1986 - 2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	Total
Male	Heterosexual
		15 – 19	6	0	0	0	1	1	0	1	9
		20 – 29	258	12	15	14	15	13	10	17	354
		30 – 39	696	28	25	23	29	25	17	19	862
		40 – 49	800	48	42	36	50	41	30	31	1078
		50 – 59	535	48	68	52	49	34	41	38	865
		60 & above	394	45	39	38	39	30	23	26	634
		Total	2689	181	189	163	183	144	121	132	3802
	Homosexual/Bisexual
		15 – 19	28	3	9	1	5	4	2	4	56
		20 – 29	376	73	72	70	61	80	82	77	891
		30 – 39	600	86	81	77	75	93	67	75	1154
		40 – 49	333	52	58	66	50	56	60	62	737
		50 – 59	79	18	12	31	28	29	25	38	260
		60 & above	13	5	4	3	4	5	5	5	44
		Total	1429	237	236	248	223	267	241	261	3142
	Others
		0 – 14	17	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	19
		15 –19	5	1	1	1	0	0	1	2	11
		20 –29	29	1	2	2	6	2	1	1	44
		30 –39	81	2	2	2	4	2	3	3	99
		40 –49	68	1	3	6	1	3	5	5	92
		50 –59	30	7	2	3	3	4	4	3	56
		60 & above	11	0	2	3	2	1	2	1	22
		Total	241	12	12	17	16	12	18	15	343
	Total
		0 – 14	17	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	19
		15 – 19	39	4	10	2	6	5	3	7	76
		20 – 29	663	86	89	86	82	95	93	95	1289
		30 – 39	1377	116	108	102	108	120	87	97	2115
		40 – 49	1201	101	103	108	101	100	95	98	1907
		50 – 59	644	73	82	86	80	67	70	79	1181
		60 & above	418	50	45	44	45	36	30	32	700
		Total	4359	430	437	428	422	423	380	408	7287

TABLE 6

HIV/AIDS - INFECTED FEMALE SINGAPORE RESIDENTS BY AGE AND MODES OF TRANSMISSION (1985 – 2017)

Age group			1985-2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	Total
Female	Sexual
		15 – 19	9	0	1	1	1	0	0	0	12
		20 – 29	131	6	3	5	2	2	5	7	161
		30 – 39	126	7	4	8	8	8	3	3	167
		40 – 49	88	4	8	5	9	9	7	6	136
		50 – 59	63	5	12	4	9	7	8	5	113
		60& above	32	7	4	2	5	3	4	3	60
		Total	449	29	32	25	34	29	27	24	649
	Others
		0 – 14	15	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	15
		15 –19	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
		20 –29	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6
		30 –39	7	1	0	0	0	1	1	0	10
		40 –49	6	1	0	1	0	1	0	0	9
		50 –59	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	2
		60 & above	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	3
		Total	37	2	0	1	0	3	1	2	46
	Total
		0 – 14	15	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	15
		15 – 19	9	0	1	1	1	0	0	1	13
		20 – 29	137	6	3	5	2	2	5	7	167
		30 – 39	133	8	4	8	8	9	4	3	177
		40 – 49	94	5	8	6	9	10	7	6	145
		50 – 59	64	5	12	4	9	8	8	5	115
		60 & above	34	7	4	2	5	3	4	4	63
		Total	486	31	32	26	34	32	28	26	695

[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