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HIV figures for gay men second highest since records began
Human Immunodeficiency Virus
Nearly four in ten of newly-diagnosed HIV cases last year were among gay men.
New estimates from the Health Protection Agency reveal that of the 7,370 cases diagnosed last year, 2,830 were among gay men.
This is a fall from the previous year's 3,050 cases but is still the second highest number since records began in the 1990s.
The Health Protection Agency has pressed for HIV testing to be more widely available, including in GPs’ surgeries, and the targeting of those communities most at risk which included gay men and black African heterosexuals.
Doctor Barry Evans of the Health Protection Agency said: "Gay men continue to be the group in the UK most at risk of acquiring HIV and safe sex is the best way to protect against HIV infection."
"Numbers of people diagnosed with HIV are rising for many reasons,” said Lisa Power, Head of Policy at the Terrence Higgins Trust. “More people are getting tested, which is good. But some people don't realise they could be at risk, and others take risks despite knowing them. HIV is not a risk worth taking."
