More than 19 youths in Ramnagar village of Nainital district in Uttarakhand have tested positive for HIV AIDS after engaging in sexual relations with a minor girl aged 17, The New Indian Express reported on Wednesday.
“Over the past 17 months, 45 individuals in Ramnagar have tested HIV positive, sparking concern among health officials,” the report said, citing a source from the senior health department.
According to the report, the minor, who is allegedly addicted to heroin, engaged in physical relationships with the young men who provided funds for her addiction.
The report said, quoting a district health officer, “This is a disturbing trend, and we’re taking immediate action. The girl’s addiction led to this unfortunate situation, and we’re working to provide counselling and support,” he added.
“This is a wake-up call for our community,” said Dr Harish Chandra Pant, Nainital’s Chief Medical Officer. “We’re working tirelessly to raise awareness, provide counseling, and contain this outbreak.”
“A startling revelation has emerged in the Ramnagar HIV outbreak, where multiple youth contracted the disease without realizing they shared a common link,” a health official told The New Indian Express.
“These young men had no idea they were exposed to HIV through the same 17-year-old girl,” explained a counsellor.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), HIV remains a major global public health issue, having claimed an estimated 42.3 million lives to date. Transmission is ongoing in all countries globally.
There were an estimated 39.9 million people living with HIV at the end of 2023, 65% of whom are in the WHO African Region. In 2023, an estimated 630 000 people died from HIV-related causes and an estimated 1.3 million people acquired HIV.
What is the current scenario of HIV in India?
The 2022 HIV Estimates indicate that around 2.47 million people are living with HIV in the country, with an adult HIV prevalence of 0.2%. Although there were approximately 66,000 new HIV infections in 2022, there has been a decline of slightly over 42% since 2010, slightly exceeding the global average of 38%. AIDS-related deaths in 2022 stood at approximately 39,000, marking a significant decline of nearly 77% since 2010.
Despite numerous competing health priorities during the COVID-19 recovery period, the fifth phase of the National AIDS and STI Control Programme (2021-2025) received a substantial budget allocation of approximately USD 1934 million. Notably, 95% of the overall budget for the program is financed domestically, exemplifying India’s dedication to combating the epidemic.
How can HIV be transmitted?
HIV can be transmitted via the exchange of body fluids from people living with HIV, including blood, breast milk, semen, and vaginal secretions. HIV can also be transmitted to a child during pregnancy and delivery. People cannot become infected with HIV through ordinary day-to-day contact such as kissing, hugging, shaking hands, or sharing personal objects, food or water.
People living with HIV who are taking ART and have an undetectable viral load will not transmit HIV to their sexual partners. Early access to ART and support to remain on treatment is therefore critical not only to improve the health of people living with HIV but also to prevent HIV transmission.
Signs and symptoms
The symptoms of HIV vary depending on the stage of infection.
HIV spreads more easily in the first few months after a person is infected, but many are unaware of their status until the later stages. In the first few weeks after being infected people may not experience symptoms. Others may have an influenza-like illness, including:
The infection progressively weakens the immune system. This can cause other signs and symptoms:
Without treatment, people living with HIV infection can also develop severe illnesses:
severe bacterial infections
cancers such as lymphomas and Kaposi’s sarcoma.
HIV causes other infections to get worse, such as hepatitis C, hepatitis B and mpox.
What are the risk factors of contracting HIV?
According to WHO, behaviours and conditions that put people at greater risk of contracting HIV include:
1. Having anal or vaginal sex without a condom;
2. Having another sexually transmitted infection (STI) such as syphilis, herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhoea and bacterial vaginosis;
3. Harmful use of alcohol or drugs in the context of sexual behaviour;
4. Sharing contaminated needles, syringes and other injecting equipment, or drug solutions when injecting drugs;
5. Receiving unsafe injections, blood transfusions, or tissue transplantation; and
6. Medical procedures that involve unsterile cutting or piercing; or accidental needle stick injuries, including among health workers.
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