HIV Carriers Over 2000: 68% Infected from Heterosexual Relationship

The number of HIV carriers passed the 2000 mark in Korea for the first time.

The National Institute of Health(NIH) reported on Thursday that 400 HIV carriers were newly disclosed and the total number of HIV carrier accounts to 2008. The NIH, however, estimated that the actual number would be about 5000 which is twice of the disclosed number.

The number of HIV carriers last year is 25% increased over 1608 of 2001, so it is estimated that more than one person per a day is newly disclosed as an HIV carrier.

The condition of 328 of the HIV carriers grew worse and became AIDS patients. 421 of total HIV carrier have died and 1587 are alive.

Among the HIV carriers, 1776(88.4%) are male and 232(11.6%) are female, and 35.2% are thirties, 27.1% are twenties; more than half are on their twenties or thirties. There are also 11 HIV carriers under age 9 and 31 HIV carriers are teenagers.

Among 1608 carriers whose infection route is confirmed, 44.6% was infected from the sexual relationship with the opposite sex, 29.8% was infected from the sexual relationship with the same sex. 23.0% was infected from the sexual relationship with foreign opposite sex.

The NIH explains that different from 80`s and early 90`s, infection from sexual relationship among Koreans is increasing.

The expert in the NIH, Kwon Junwook says, “Though the number of HIV carriers in Korea is not so many as in other countries, but there is a possibility for increase of HIV carriers among common people as well as among homosexuals due to the tendency of free sex.”

On the other hand, Korean Anti-AIDS Federation surveyed 1510 adults last November and it was reported that only 14.4% of those who had experienced sexual intercourse had been tested for AIDS.

Sang-Keun Song songmoon@donga.com