The health ministry detected 36 new HIV cases in the last 6 months. Of it, 21 are Male while 15 are female. Majority of them acquired the infection through unprotected sex while two from HIV infected mother to child.
Among the new cases, 11 are from housewives, 7 from a private category, 6 form drivers, 5 from the farmers, 2 each from civil servants and minor while one each from corporate, uniformed personnel and unemployed youth.
The majority of the reported cases are between the ages of 20-49 years. The new cases are undergoing care and treatment at the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital in Thimphu.
With this new detection, the ministry has closed the case detection gap by 2.4 per cent. It is estimated that an additional 602 Bhutanese are living with the HIV but unaware of their status.
Since 1993, 663 HIV cases have been diagnosed in the country.
