HIV Cases Rising in Wales at Fastest-Ever Rate

HIV is on the rise in Wales, prompting health officials to call for more awareness and testing efforts.

According to the Health Protection Agency, 193 new HIV cases were diagnosed in Wales in 2007. Around 35 percent of these cases were transmitted heterosexually, with more women diagnosed than men -- a trend that has been steadily increasing since 1998. Within that timeframe, 256 new cases were diagnosed in women, compared with 164 in men. Fifty percent of the new cases in 2007 involved gay men.

The 2007 data also show people ages 35-44 are the most affected, though new diagnoses among people ages 15-24 increased 13 percent.

Wales has a total of 1,009 people living with HIV/AIDS, a 14 percent increase over the 884 in 2006. Cases are starting to shift from urban areas like Cardiff and Swansea to rural areas such as Powys, Denbigshire, and Gwynedd.

Health experts are concerned the data indicate relaxing attitudes about safe sex, particularly among young people. "We now live in a society where it's easier to have sex than to talk about it," said Lisa Power, head of the Terrence Higgins Trust. "Whoever you are, if you have had unprotected sex, get a sexual health check-up. And use condoms -- people feel awkward about asking their partner to wear one, but it will be more awkward if you catch something."

"It isn't an issue that has been very high on Welsh policy because we have only had around 1,000 people at one time living with the virus," said Dr. Olwen Williams, a sexual health consultant at North Wales National Health Service Trust. "There is a lot more acceptability for HIV testing now, but there is also a little bit of 'it won't happen to me'."

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