Taiwan’s Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported on Wednesday that the AIDS epidemic in Taiwan has consecutively been on the decline for six years.
As the world celebrates Valentine’s Day, the CDC took the opportunity to share the downward trend in new HIV infections and remind the public to practice safe sex. HIV or the human immunodeficiency virus is an infection that attacks the body’s immune system, and AIDS is the most advanced stage of the disease. The number of new infections last year was 944, which according to the CDC is the lowest since 2004.
The CDC adds that the low numbers indicate the effectiveness of prevention and treatment strategies. Strategies include the promotion of the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP, a type of medicine taken to prevent HIV infection, and the provision of multiple screening tests.
With romance in the air, the CDC cautions the public to practice safe sex through the use of condoms. It adds that sexually active people should get tested at least once a year. It also recommends those at high risk for the disease should be screened every three to six months. High-risk behavior includes having unprotected sex with multiple partners or sharing needles, syringes, and other injecting equipment.
While HIV is preventable, there is currently no cure for the disease.