HIV rates across Australia had their biggest rise in 20 years in 2012. The latest data on HIV was released at the Australasian HIV Conference in Darwin last week. While HIV rates have increased annually over the last 13 years, the biggest increase was in 2012, a dramatic jump of 10% equating to 1253 new cases. HIV diagnosis are now on par with figures from the early 1990’s.
“Some of the rise in reported diagnosis of HIV may be due to increased testing,” said Associate Professor David Wilson of the Kirby Institute, “but better testing simply can not explain the magnitude of these rising rates.”
It is estimated that up to 34,300 people were now living with HIV in Australia, but up to 25% of people may be undiagnosed and unaware that they have the virus.
Men who have sex with men remained the dominant population being diagnosed with HIV, account for 64% of new diagnosis and 85% of newly acquired infections. HIV diagnosis of men under twenty five years of age also rose considerably in the last year.
The rate of new diagnosis in Western Australia remained stable in 2012 following substantial increases in 2010 and 2011.
Rob Lake, the Executive Director of the National Association of AIDS organisations said a multi-pronged approach that involved rapid testing, pre-exposure prophylaxis and condom use was required. Lake said Australians had started to become complacent about HIV.
“New campaigns promoting condom use are already in place in NSW and Victoria and will shortly roll out nationally as well,” Lake said.
OIP Staff
Stock Image: YayMicro/Wavebreakmedia
