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Filipino boy, 7, dies of AIDS
By Sheila Crisostomo (The Philippine Star)

A seven-year-old boy, who had contracted the AIDS virus while he was still in his mother’s womb, died of the disease last January, the Department of Health (DOH) reported yesterday.

In its Philippines HIV and AIDS Registry, the DOH said the boy was one of 208 new AIDS cases recorded two months ago.

The DOH said the cases for the month of January were 39 percent higher than the 152 cases monitored in January 2011.

“Most of the cases (96 percent) were males. The median age was 27 years old (the range is between 7 to 56). The 20 to 29 years old age group had the most number of cases with 61 percent. Fifty-eight percent (123) of the reported cases were from the National Capital Region,” the DOH noted.

The other regions that accounted for a significant number of new HIV cases were Calabarzon, Central Luzon, Davao, Western Visayas and Central Visayas.

source

Luoy pod ang bata, can only hope that prenatal care in the Philippines improves. The mother, if it was known that she was HIV+, should have been given HAART prophylaxis to prevent her child from contracting the virus in utero.