QC boosts HIV testing, response

With the reported surge in new human immunodeficiency virus cases across the country, the Quezon City government has committed to further boost testing capabilities to minimize HIV transmission and provide immediate treatment to those who will test positive for the viral disease.

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From January to May, the city health department recorded 421 HIV cases, up 7.7 percent from 391 cases logged during the same period in 2024.

City hall said 35 percent, or 149, who were diagnosed this year are among the young population or those between 15 and 24 years old.

"With the significant increase in HIV cases among ages 15 to 24, we make sure that all of them are receiving the treatment they need in the city's social hygiene clinics," Mayor Joy Belmonte said in a statement over the weekend.

The intensified testing conducted by the local government over the past three years may be a factor in the increase in HIV cases.