This is the most interesting event reported in the world of HIV in Burma / Myanmar in the new year. Human bites do not cause transmission of HIV. What do readers think of Ko Tin Ko’s action?

[him] moderator

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HIV patient avoids arrest by threatening to bite officials
Democratic Voice of Burma
28 May 2007

Political activist Ko Tin Ko, who has tested positive for HIV, narrowly
avoided arrest yesterday by threatening to bite the officials who dragged
three of his friends from a teashop.

As opposition protestors marched through Rangoon, Ko Tin Ko and his
friends Ma Zin Mar Htun, Ko Kyaw Oo and U Than Aung sat at a teashop in
the Kyaikkasan pagoda compound.

They were approached by a group of sector peace and development council
officials who grabbed the four friends and attempted to drag them away,
according to Ko Tin Ko.

“They twisted my arm but let me go after I threatened to bite them . . .
They stole my watch as well,” Ko Tin Ko said. He told DVB the officials
were scared to touch him because they knew he was living with HIV and
feared infection.

As HIV can not be contracted through exposure to the saliva of someone
with the virus, it is highly unlikely that Ko Tin Ko could have infected
the officials even if he had bitten them.

Ko Tin Ko first came into the public eye when he staged a solo
demonstration outside Rangoon’s Dagon Centre, calling for increased access
to antiretroviral drugs for HIV/AIDS patients.

Since then he has been arrested and released several times by the Burmese
authorities for trying to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS issues.

Ko Tin Ko and the three other activists who were at the teashop yesterday
have staged a number of peaceful prayer campaigns in the past week calling
for the release of arrested HIV/AIDS activist and National League for
Democracy member Ma Phyu Phyu Thin.

http://english.dvb.no/news.php?id=137