Resident of HIV village dies at 76

[geovalin]

Pech Sotheary

Another HIV-positive resident of Battambang province’s Roka commune passed away this week, marking the latest fatality in a locale where hundreds have been infected with the virus.

Roka commune chief Sem Pov said 76-year-old Sor Mao tested positive for the virus in December, when the outbreak was first detected. He was also diagnosed with tuberculosis. Despite undergoing anti-retroviral treatment, Mao succumbed to his illness early this week.

Mao’s death means “the number of HIV-related deaths in Roka commune has reached nine people. Now the authorities are educating [people] and providing medical care for them,” Pov said.

read more: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/resident-hiv-village-dies-76

RELATED: Unlicensed doctor charged for HIV outbreak in Cambodia (December 23, 2014)

[Ulic]

At 76 how did he contract AIDS ? What is this unlicensed doctor who is under investigation ?

9 deaths 220 infected, sounds like a mass murder suspect. Awful.

[Sheryl]

Do a search in this forum, there have been many prior articles on this. Hundreds of low risk villagers, including infants and elderly, contracted HIV from an unlicensed private health worker who reused needles and syringes.

[maidee]

did many of them visit some local karaoke bar with extra's ?

[Sheryl]

No. Extensive epidemiological investigations were done. The treansmission was from contaminated needles used by the unlicensed (and now jailed) health worker who had been quite popular with villagers because he gave an IV for even the most minor ailment at very low price.

[ChrisB87]

Absolutely unbelievable.

[falang07]

So he was diagnosed in December 2014, and despite undergoing anti-retroviral treatment, Mao succumbed to his illness early this week? Seems to me he died from the deadly anti-retroviral treatment since HIV is not that quick/deadly.

[Sheryl]

He had full fledged AIDs, not just HIV+, and had tuberculosis as a result.

It is very difficult to manage patients with active TB and AIDs as the combination of HIV and TB meds is hard to tolerate. Normal procedure is to treat the TB first (a 6-12 month process) but patients with extremely low CD4 counts may not survive such a delay. And he was elderly.

Some of these villagers were quite far along in the disease when first diagnosed as they never suspected they might have HIV.