The number of people receiving treatment for HIV in the north west has soared according to new figures.
Last year 6,332 HIV-positive people had treatment and care – 382 more than in 2009 and nearly three-and-a-half times the 2001 total of 1,841.
This means that the north west had the largest number of people accessing treatment in the country outside London, according to the Health Protection Agency (HPA).
Health chiefs also revealed that half of people undergoing treatment in the north west were homosexual men – and the group remained most at risk of acquiring HIV infection in the UK.
Dr Roberto Vivancos, HPA North West’s sexual health lead, said: "HIV is avoidable. It’s important for people to practise safer sex for their own protection and out of respect for their partner.
"This is especially important advice for people in new relationships and for anyone who has casual sex."
Dr Valerie Delpech, consultant epidemiologist and head of HIV surveillance at the HPA, added: "HIV is an infection that nowadays can be treated and those diagnosed promptly can expect to experience similar life expectancy to an individual without the infection.
"However, we are very concerned that a large number of people in the UK are unaware of their HIV status and are diagnosed late.
"We want to see increased access to HIV testing in clinical settings, with tests being offered to new registrants at GPs and hospital general admissions in areas of the country where rates of HIV infection are high.
"We are also urging sexual health clinics to ensure that HIV testing is offered as part of a universal sexual health screen at every new attendance.
The figures were released ahead of World AIDS Day on December 1 and the Terence Higgins Trust said the statistics showed the need for a greater awareness and discussion about the virus.
Jane Morel, the charity's regional manager for the north west, said: "HIV rates in the north west remain dangerously high and to bring them down we all have to take responsibility for our sexual health. We can’t just rely on partners, or chance, to keep sex safe."
In June, the MEN revealed that patients admitted to the medical assessment unit at Manchester Royal Infirmary were being offered HIV screening because of the city's high infection rates. Almost five in every 1,000 have the virus, according to statistics.
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Is immigration a factor in this increase ?, just that i know a lad from Zimbabwe who has it and his 2 friends are also infected, they are the only 3 people who i know of who have it
I think the first poster has it dead on I would say.
Nothing to do with mass immigration from poor countries, well is it a coincidence? I'm not saying that's a fact , just asking a question.
I am not surprised by the new figures relating to HIV. My question is what is the charities and authorities actually doing. Lets get it right these organisations have received many millions of tax payers money ether through grants or fundraising efforts for more than over 20 years. Yet numbers have risen every year. So what have they actually done?
In fact HIV and other sexual health issues do not appear to be even on Manchester Councils agenda any more and the cuts that have affected many community groups has made it quite difficult to keep this on any agenda. Even the local health and social care watchdog does not appear to be interested in this issue. So what are we really doing?