This picture taken on Aug 3, 2019 shows a general view of residential and commercial buildings in the Kowloon district (foreground) with the skyline of Hong Kong Island past Victoria Harbour (center) in the distance. (ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP)

HONG KONG – The Centre for Health Protection has detected an “unusual increase” in the number of HIV infections among female sex workers in Yau Tsim Mong and Sham Shui Po.

Wong Ka-hing, the Head of Public Health Services Branch of the CHP, noted the “unusual increase” among the sex workers since Aug 2021, involving five women aged 51 to 63, according to a CHP statement on Thursday.  

Wong Ka-hing, the Head of Public Health Services Branch of the CHP, noted the “unusual increase” among the sex workers since Aug 2021, involving five women aged 51 to 63

“Most of them had offered commercial sex mainly at Yau Tsim Mong District and Sham Shui Po District, while the CHP's epidemiological investigations, including laboratory analysis, so far have not suggested a common source of infection among these cases,” the statement reads.

All five cases were in stable condition and receiving HIV treatment and care, the CHP said, adding that it has stepped up liaisons with nongovernmental organizations serving female sex workers to reinforce testing and counselling services, raise their alertness and encourage safer sex practices.

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"We would like to appeal to people with a history of unsafe sex to have an HIV antibody test early. They can call the DH's AIDS Hotline (2780 2211) for a free, anonymous and confidential HIV antibody test,” Wong was quoted as saying in the statement.

“Key populations with a higher risk of infection should undergo regular HIV screening. HIV-positive people should seek specialist care and HIV treatment as soon as possible," he added.

Wong said sexual transmission remained the major mode of HIV transmission in Hong Kong. The CHP said HIV prevention interventions targeting male clients of female sex workers will be stepped up, including having mobile HIV testing at places they frequent and free condom distribution.

HIV is the cause of AIDS. Early HIV treatment with antiretroviral drugs effectively prevents progression to AIDS and other complications.

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As of March 2022, Hong Kong has detected 11,317 HIV cases and 2,338 AIDS cases since 1984, according to CHP data.

A total of 4,705 HIV patients got infected through homosexual contact while 3,646 were infected through heterosexual contact.

According to the CHP, the number of HIV cases has been going down since peaking at 725 new infections in 2015.

That number went down to 692 cases in 2016, 681 in 2017, 624 in 2018, 565 in 2019, 505 in 2020, and 447 in 2021. In the first quarter of 2022, 85 new HIV cases were detected, the CHP added. 

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