HIV cases in N-W hit record high

HIV figures in the North-West have reached a record high.

A total of 5,767 people received treatment or care for for the disease last year, an 11 per cent increase. There was also a substantial rise in new HIV cases reported in the region, up 13 per cent to 925.

However, the number of deaths due to Aids has reduced dramatically from 9 per cent of the total cases to 0.5 per cent, mainly due to advances in antiretroviral therapy.

Prof Qutub Syed from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) North-West said: “It is encouraging that more people with HIV infection are seeking treatment and care, but hugely disappointing that we are seeing an increase in new cases, reversing recent trends.

“This would seem to imply that more people are putting themselves and their partners at risk by failing to be careful about their lifestyles.”

Greater Manchester had the region’s highest number of HIV cases with 3,418. The rate of new cases here was also twice as high as Cheshire, Lancashire and Merseyside — they were the same in 2001.

The number of new people infected in the North-West through sex between men, heterosexual sex and injecting drugs have all increased since 2007.

Some 42 per cent of new cases were reported to be infected abroad, 74 per cent of them black Africans.

Nearly 35 per cent of people receiving treatment or care for HIV in the region were from ethnic minorities, who made up 8 per cent of the population.

Dr Mike Deakin, the region’s associate director of public health, said the increase in infection rates could be down to work encouraging people to get tested.

He added: “This is a good thing as earlier identification leads to a better outlook for the person, as well as enabling them to take precautions so as not to pass on the infection.”