Haldwani HIV case: In a shocking incident, at least 44 male inmates and one female inmate were found infected with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) in a jail in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani district.
According to news agency ANI, the case came to light during mass testing and the infected people with mild symptoms were given medicine while others were admitted to the hospital for better treatment.
Dr. Paramjit Singh, ART center in-charge of Sushila Tiwari Hospital, told the news agency, “44 inmates in Haldwani jail were found to be HIV positive, one female inmate was also found to be HIV positive.”
He said that an ART (Antiretroviral Therapy) center for HIV patients has also been set up where infected patients are treated.
Dr. Singh said, “My team constantly tests the prisoners in the jail and all the prisoners who are infected with HIV are given free treatment and medicines based on the guidelines of NACO.”
How does HIV infect the body?
According to the UK National Health Service (NHS), HIV infects the immune system, causing progressive damage and eventually making it unable to fight infection. The virus attaches itself to cells of the immune system called CD4 lymphocyte cells, which protect the body from various bacteria, viruses, and other germs.
Once attached, it enters CD4 cells and uses it to make thousands of copies of itself. These copies then leave the CD4 cells, killing them in the process. This process continues until eventually the number of CD4 cells, also called your CD4 count, becomes so low that your immune system stops working. This process can take up to 10 years, during which time the patient feels and looks well.
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