522 Residents of Tangerang Regency Test Positive for HIV/AIDS: A Decade-Long Trend Analysis of the Disease

The Tangerang Regency Health Office in Banten reported 522 people tested positive for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) between January and November 2022.

Head of Disease Prevention and Control at the Tangerang Regency Health Office, dr. Sumihar Sihaloho, detailed that 372 people were infected with HIV and 150 others suffered from AIDS.

"Some cases originated from several areas within Tangerang Regency, and some were found outside of Tangerang," said Sumihar, as reported by Antara on Friday (2/12/2022).

Of the 522 HIV/AIDS cases, 372 were HIV sufferers and 150 were AIDS sufferers spread across several areas in Tangerang Regency.

In 2021, 414 people had HIV and 150 had AIDS. Restrictions on public activities hampered optimal HIV/AIDS case tracking.

Data from the Directorate General of Disease Prevention and Control (Ditjend P2P) of the Ministry of Health shows 36,902 HIV cases in 2021. This number decreased compared to the previous year.

HIV cases in Indonesia have shown a downward trend in the last two years from their peak of over 50,000 cases (in 2019), as seen in the graph.

Similarly, AIDS cases also decreased to 5,750 in 2021 from the previous year. AIDS cases peaked at 10,448 in 2017.

HIV is a virus that infects white blood cells, causing a decrease in the body's immunity, making it susceptible to various other diseases. AIDS, on the other hand, is a collection of symptoms arising from decreased immunity caused by HIV infection.