Most men infected with HIV on their trip to Asia

Bathing. Photo: pixabay.com

Most heterosexual Norwegian men who were diagnosed with HIV last year were infected in their trips to Asia, according to a new report from the Institute of Public Health.

In all, 28 of 37 heterosexual men who were diagnosed with HIV last year, was infected during travel abroad. Most, 22 people were infected in Asia, according to figures from the Folkehelseinstituttet.

– Half of the heterosexual men who were diagnosed HIV infections last year were infected in Thailand.

There we find 15 to 20 cases each year. Men seeking sexual contact with women in Asia. Primarily in Thailand, and some from the Philippines.

We can follow the travel patterns to Norwegian men. There are large HIV epidemics among women in these countries, says senior adviser Øivind Nilsen from Folkehelseinstituttet to NTB.

Nine heterosexual men were infected in Norway. Meanwhile, the figures show that seven Norwegian heterosexual women were infected with HIV in Norway.

– This is the typical pattern. Norwegian heterosexual women are infected by their steady partner, says Nilsen.

HIV situation in Norway is stable, according to Public Health. Last year there were 220 people were diagnosed by new HIV medicine in Norway, compared with 221 cases in 2015. Of the new cases, there were 157 men and 63 women.

Nationally, the total number of people diagnosed is 6,064 people with HIV of whom 4105 are men and 1959 are women.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today