New diagnoses of HIV increased once again in the United Kingdom in 2005, according to early figures released by the Health Protection Agency (HPA). So far, some 5,560new diagnoses in 2005 have been tallied.
The number is expected to rise to almost 8,000. The HPA said that the rise is mostly due to an increased number of diagnoses in sexually active, homosexual men. Also, there were more new diagnoses in 2005 in people who had heterosexual intercourse.
HPA spokesperson Dr Valerie Delpech said: "Sex between men remains the group in the UK at highest risk of acquiring HIV with evidence that transmission is continuing at a substantial rate.” Some 58,000 people live with HIV in the UK.
