HONG KONK - A total of 139 cases of HIV infections were reported in the first quarter of 2013, the Hong Kong Health Protection Center announced Tuesday.

Sexual transmission remained the major mode of HIV transmission. Of the 139 cases reported in this quarter, 53 acquired the infection via homosexual or bisexual contact, 43 via heterosexual contact, and two through drug injection. The routes of transmission of the remaining 41 cases were undetermined due to inadequate information.

The newly diagnosed cases comprised 97 males and 42 females, bringing the cumulative total of reported HIV infections to 5,922 since 1984 in Hong Kong.

Twelve new cases of AIDS were also reported in this quarter, bringing to 1,365 the total number of confirmed AIDS cases reported since 1985.