Hong Kong’s Centre for Health Protection (CHP) has released its HIV and AIDS statistics for 2015.

The numbers show a total of 725 new HIV infections, of which 110 of those developing into AIDS. In 2014 there were 651 new cases.

The vast majority of new cases were transmitted by sexual intercourse. 14 newly reported cases were due to drug injection and two through perinatal transmission.

The Centre also reported that half of the cases were acquired through same-sex intercourse and that most patients were young gay men.

CHP consultant Dr. Wong Ka-Hing suggested that unsafe sex remains the major risk factor for new HIV cases.

The higher numbers could be attributed to a heightened awareness of the disease with more people getting tested.