Two more new cases were confirmed this year taking the total number to 15.
The new cases were officially announced by Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health Dr Lester Ross during the HIV day last week.
“According to our statistics, we recorded a cumulative total of 13 confirmed cases. On behalf of the Solomon Islands National AIDS Council (SINAC), I have the responsibility to announce an additional two new HIV diagnosed cases,” Dr Ross announced.
He said HIV is like a ticking time bomb ready to go off.
“Only if more people are willing to come forward for voluntary testing will we know the right probability.
“People shouldn’t be ashamed of HIV testing. HIV testing is just like testing for any other illness, like malaria,” he said.
Dr Ross said during last year’s World Aids Day campaign, about 668 people were voluntary tested.
“Out of the total, five samples were initially tested positive.
“These samples were sent abroad for confirmation but fortunately none of these samples were positive.
“There is never a room for self satisfaction. Despite positive developments in the country, the situations we face is continue to be alarming,” he said.
Many tested samples at the moment were only taken from pregnant mothers and others and not from voluntary people.
“It is good to know your fate so that people are confident with themselves and or if they were found to be positive, appropriate diagnostic measures can be made sooner than later.”
“But if people do not want to get tested and get treated then there is great risk of dying if one lives with it.”
He said sexually transmitted infections STIs are spreading wildly and it is worrying that the spread of HIV could be the same.
It is estimated worldwide that in 2007 around 33.2 million people lived with HIV with AIDS claiming 2 million lives- 270,000 of which are children.
