Terengganu has seen a doubling in the rate of cases of HIV infection due to sexual activity, from 15.6 percent in 2010 to 34.6 percent last year, Bernama reported.

State health director Dr Mohamad Omar said of that, 7.9 percent involves unprotected sex among homosexuals and bisexual individuals.

He said between January and June this year 66 cases of new infections was recorded in the state, of which 13.7 percent were sexually transmitted.

However, he said, there was a record decrease in infection due through sharing infected needles with 102 cases reported, compared to 292 in 2010, the newswire reported.
He said there was poor awareness of treatments available for those infected with HIV, with only about a third of those infected seeking treatment.

He told reporters this after officiating an event in conjunction with the World AIDS Day 2016, in Hulu Terengganu.

"We view this seriously, this is why we are targetting that Hulu Terengganu be the pioneer zero percent HIV district in 2020 through the 'Cities Getting to Zero' programme introduced by the ministry in 2012," he said.

He said the programme aims at reducing stigma and discrimination against those infected with HIV.