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PHE stats show an overall decrease in new HIV diagnoses – but not for gay men.

Monday, October 6, 2014

Today (6 October) Public Health England (PHE) releases its 2013 HIV statistics, showing the number of people who are receiving HIV care is now 81,512, up from 77,590 in 2012. New HIV diagnoses have seen a slight decline over the past year – however amongst young gay men and over 50s they continue to rise. 

Yusef Azad, director of policy and campaigns at the National AIDS Trust, said:"There has been an encouraging decline in the number of people diagnosed with HIV late - from 46% of people in 2012 to 42% in 2013. However, the figures also reveal that 63% of heterosexual men are diagnosed late compared to 31% of gay and bisexual men. Being diagnosed late, which usually means you have had HIV for at least four years, can have a serious impact on your health, potentially leading to a shorter life expectancy, worse health outcomes and in some cases death soon after diagnosis."  

The 2013 stats show:

  • 81,512 people are receiving HIV care, up from 77,590 in 2012
  • 6,000 people were diagnosed with HIV, compared to 6,245 in 2012
  • 3,250 men who have sex with men (MSM) were diagnosed with HIV, slightly up from 3,230 in 2012 (and the highest number ever)
  • Deaths amongst people living with HIV declined to 527 from 556 in 2012
  • 1,260 black African people were diagnosed with HIV, down from 1,619 in 2012
  • In the past ten years, new diagnoses amongst the over 50s have almost doubled
  • In the past ten years, new diagnoses amongst MSM aged 15-24 have almost doubled.

Yusef Azad continued: ”It is heartening to see some decline in the number of new HIV diagnoses amongst people in the UK – however about 16 people a day are being told they have HIV – this is still too many.

“There are still significant levels of HIV transmission in our society, especially amongst gay men. We need to see a further substantial decrease in new HIV transmissions – and for that to happen we need to see a real and substantial increase in effective HIV prevention funding from local and national government.”

The data is sourced from https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hiv-data-tables


Notes to the editor:

For further information please contact:

NAT
020 7814 6733
suzi.price@nat.org.uk
Communications Manager

NAT


NAT (National AIDS Trust) is the UK’s leading charity dedicated to transforming society’s response to HIV. We provide fresh thinking, expertise and practical resources. We champion the rights of people living with HIV and campaign for change.

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