Suhail Khan
SRINAGAR, July 7(KINS): Over 5000 HIV-positive cases have been registered in Jammu and Kashmir, official figures reveal.
According to the statistics J&K State AIDS Control Society (JKSACS) accessed by news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service that over 5000 HIV-positive patients have been registered with the society in Jammu and Kashmir since 1991.
2756 patients are presently receiving treatment in J&K out of which 2,454 patients are from Jammu and 302 patients in Kashmir, the figures reveal.
Figures say that 365 were reported HIV+ve in 2018 and 187 were detected with the virus till September last year.
The data further reveals that over 1060 deaths have happened due to the virus in Jammu and Kashmir.
An official at JKSACS said that there are many hidden cases that go unreported as people show reluctance to come forward fearing the societal backlash and stigma attached to the disease.
Appealing people to come forward for the tests, the doctor said that with the detection of virus in the early stage, a patient can be prescribed proper treatment.
The doctor said that awareness plays an important role in the prevention of the virus.
However, he admitted that the awareness is a low key affair in the J&K as compared to other regions in the country.
Another official asserted that the drug menace has attained an alarming proportion in the new Union Territory
“While the use of drugs is a major reason for HIV transmission mainly in Kashmir valley, female sex workers, truckers and labourers are the main transmitters in the Jammu region. The other major causes of being affected by the virus are blood transfusion, unprotected sex, and multi-person usage of needles,” the official added. (KINS)
