HIV Cases Rising Across Ireland

The often deadly Aids infection knowns no geographical and political boundaries as the number of new cases of HIV - which leads to Aids - in both Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic are rocketing.

Across NI, cases rose by more than 50% in 2008, compared to the previous year while a record number of newly-diagnosed HIV patients has been reported by St James's Hospital in Dublin.

The Irish hospital said it has experienced a 20% rise in cases and a 100% increase in HIV diagnoses among both homosexual and bisexual men.

It is believed the rise is due to unsafe sexual practices among young men and a lull in public awareness of the disease.

Some 244 new HIV cases were diagnosed in Dublin this year, compared with 209 last year, and a total of 2,000 HIV positive patients now attend the hospital.

At the same time, the latest figures from the Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre in Northern Ireland show there were 92 HIV diagnoses during 2008, compared to 61 in 2007.

The grim statistics show that in 2008, 14 people were diagnosed with Aids, and were the first new cases since 2005. Tragically, five people died from the disease.

However, while the number of new HIV cases rose sharply in 2008, figures for the first half of 2009 show an annual decrease is likely in 2009 - there have been just 24 cases in the first six months of the year.

Overall though, the number of new HIV diagnoses in NI has risen sharply in the last 10 years - there were just nine in 1998.

Just over half of the new cases of the virus in 2008, 55%, were acquired through sex between men and women.

Some 396 people with HIV were receiving care in Northern Ireland in 2008.

With today being World Aids day, it has been revealed that an estimated 33.4 million people across the world are living with HIV/Aids.

Dr Lorraine Doherty, of the Public Health Agency, said: "There is no cure for HIV, but treatment can keep the virus under control and the immune system healthy.

"World Aids Day puts the spotlight firmly on the disease and also provides an opportunity to raise awareness about a range of other sexually transmitted infections, some of which are on the increase in Northern Ireland."

The web-message network Twitter has meanwhile 'turned red' to mark World Aids Day and aims to raise awareness and funds for HIV/Aids projects across the world.

Twitter's new red livery also contains a link directly through to the Twitter page of Product Red, the HIV/Aids awareness charity founded by U2 singer Bono which hopes to fight the spread of Aids in Africa.

See: Record Number Of HIV Cases This Year

(BMcC/KMcA)