HIV/AIDS: What is it and how to avoid it?

IN NUMBERS: HIV cases in the rise in Central Visayas

CEBU CITY, Philippines – If you’re between 15 and 34 years old and living in Cebu City, you may be part of the age group most affected by a health crisis that rarely makes headlines, but urgently should.

Health officials have raised concerns over a steady increase in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases in Cebu City, especially among young adults.

From January to March 2025 alone, the City Health Department (CHD) recorded 101 new HIV cases, 63 of which were logged in March.

READ: Cebu City sees rise in HIV cases among young adults

Dr. Kimberly Mae Sanchez, a social hygiene physician at CHD, noted that most of the new infections occurred among individuals aged 15 to 34.

Alarmingly, people aged between 15 to 24 already make up over a quarter of these cases, an age group many would consider just beginning their adult lives.

READ: DOH seeks emergency declaration on HIV surge

What is HIV, and why does it matter

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) targets the body’s immune system and weakens its defense against infections and certain types of cancer by attacking and destroying CD4 cells, a type of white blood cell that plays a central role in immune response.

Without treatment, HIV can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), the most advanced stage of the infection, where the immune system is severely compromised.

Unlike most viruses, HIV is a lifelong infection because the human body cannot completely eliminate it. There is no cure as of today. However, WHO emphasized that with early diagnosis and sustained antiretroviral treatment (ART), HIV can be effectively controlled, allowing people living with the virus to live long and healthy lives.

But early detection is critical, and that begins with awareness, regular testing, and preventive measures.

Why are the numbers rising

Cebu’s rising HIV numbers are linked to several factors. One is the increased access to testing, which means more people who previously didn’t know they were infected are now being diagnosed. But it’s not just better detection. Lifestyle risks, according to the CHD, are still the primary drivers of new cases.

Unprotected sex remains the dominant mode of transmission, followed by mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy or childbirth.

Health officials are also closely monitoring needle-sharing among people who inject drugs, another significant route for spreading the virus.

The Department of Health (DOH) recently sounded the alarm on a nationwide HIV spike, urging the government to declare a public health emergency. The country now records an average of 57 new HIV cases per day, marking a 500 percent increase in just over a decade, the fastest in the Western Pacific Region.

Know the symptoms

WHO noted that many people with HIV experience no symptoms for months or even years. In the early phase—known as acute HIV infection—some may develop flu-like symptoms such as fever, sore throat, headache, or rash within two to six weeks after exposure.

As the virus continues to multiply and damage the immune system, chronic symptoms may eventually appear, including:

• Swollen lymph nodes
• Unexplained weight loss
• Persistent fever or night sweats
• Diarrhea and frequent infections
• Opportunistic illnesses like tuberculosis, meningitis, or certain cancers

Anyone who is sexually active or at risk should undergo regular HIV testing. In Cebu City, social hygiene clinics offer free and confidential HIV screening services.

How HIV is — and isn’t — transmitted

According to WHO, HIV is transmitted through the exchange of certain body fluids—namely blood, semen, vaginal and rectal fluids, and breast milk—from a person who has HIV and a detectable viral load.

It is not spread through casual contact, such as kissing, hugging, sharing food or utensils, coughing, or using the same toilet.

• Major risk factors include:
• Having sex without using a condom
• Having multiple sexual partners
• Having another sexually transmitted infection (STI)
• Sharing needles or syringes
• Receiving unsafe or unregulated blood transfusions or injections

Preventing HIV: What you can do

HIV remains preventable. WHO advised that consistent and correct use of condoms is a highly effective strategy for reducing the risk of transmission. Other proven prevention methods include:

• Regular HIV and STI testing for sexually active individuals
• Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) – a daily medication for people at high risk
• Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) – taken within 72 hours of possible exposure
• Voluntary male circumcision, which the WHO says reduces the risk of heterosexual men acquiring HIV
• Needle exchange programs for people who inject drugs
• ART for pregnant mothers, which significantly lowers the chance of transmitting the virus to their babies

Treatment

WHO affirmed that the timely initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) is the key to controlling HIV. ART does not cure HIV, but it suppresses the virus’s ability to multiply, allowing the immune system to recover and stay strong.

Rapid diagnostic tests now enable same-day screening, but confirmatory testing by trained health professionals is required to formally diagnose HIV.

When taken consistently and correctly, ART can reduce a person’s viral load to undetectable levels, meaning the virus is no longer transmissible through sex—this is known as “undetectable = untransmittable” or U=U.

Current ART regimens must be taken daily for life. But they are highly effective. WHO noted that people on treatment can expect to live just as long as someone without HIV, provided they remain adherent to medication and routine care.