HIV soars as hundreds diagnosed

One in every 404 people in Sandwell is living with the illness following a massive surge in the number of people diagnosed, new figures show.

Sandwell is now officially classed as an HIV high prevalence area – one of only 63 in the country.

New statistics from Public Health England show one in every 404 people in Sandwell is now living with HIV, compared to the national average of one in every 650.

Elsewhere Dudley and Stafford have both seen a 400 per cent increase in cases in the past 10 years. Walsall has seen a 250 per cent rise, in South Staffordshire the number has increased by 150 per cent and Wolverhampton has the lowest increase of 130 per cent.

Figures also reveal that 63.7 per cent of people who were diagnosed with HIV in Sandwell in 2012 were diagnosed late, meaning they have usually lived with the condition for four or more years.

But this is lower than in South Staffordshire where 77.8 per cent of cases were diagnosed late.

This compares with 59.6 per cent in Walsall, 54.8 per cent in Wolverhampton and 44.4 per cent in Stafford. In Dudley the figure is 36.7 per cent.

Experts say being diagnosed late can have devastating effects on a person's health, and they are eleven times more likely to die in their first year of diagnosis.

The National AIDS Trust (NAT) is calling for action to address the issue of HIV prevention.

It says this could be done by increasing understanding of HIV with education in schools and with a local public awareness campaign and ensuring sexual health clinics also always offering tests and advice on HIV prevention.

Yusef Azad, director of policy and campaigns at NAT, said: "Getting tested could mean the difference between being healthy and having a normal lifespan and getting seriously ill.

"Late diagnosis unnecessarily reduces your chances of living a long and healthy life, so ensuring you know your HIV status is vital."

By the end of 2012, an estimated 98,400 people were living with HIV in the UK, including about 77,610 people diagnosed with HIV and 21,900 who were infected but undiagnosed.

The number of HIV tests performed in sexual health services increased to 902,610 during 2012.