A new report released by Public Health England (PHE) on Nov. 18 says that one in five Britons living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) are unaware that they are infected. In its 2015 HIV report, an estimated 18,100 people are still undiagnosed and the risk of unknowingly transmitting the virus to other people through unprotected sex remains high.
In its latest data, an estimated 103,700 people are living with HIV wherein 69,200 are men and 34,400 are women. The bulk of cases stemmed from infection passed through men having sex with men (MSM) which accounts to around 45,000 infections in 2014, a 2,000-increase in number reported in 2013.
"Overall, the number of people living with HIV in the UK continues to increase and the number living with undiagnosed HIV remains high," the report said [pdf].
"Despite a decline in undiagnosed HIV infections among men who have sex with men there is evidence that rates of ongoing HIV transmission remain high," it added.
To curb the growing number of undiagnosed HIV cases in England, PHE urges people to get tested for prompt treatment to be implemented early on. In line with this, free HIV home-testing kits that can be ordered online were launched throughout England.
The test, which only needs a drop of blood, can be done at home. The kits are sent back to the laboratory for analysis.
"Prompt diagnosis remains a priority for heterosexuals living with HIV," PHE wrote in the report.
Late diagnosis of the infection is still a predicament among heterosexuals as 55 percent were diagnosed on the late stage of the disease. PHE reiterates that early treatment with anti-retroviral therapy can prolong HIV-infected patients' lifespan.
To reduce the spread of the disease, PHE urges people to avail of their self-testing kits, use condoms correctly and consistently, reduce the number of sexual partners and prevent overlapping sexual relationships. They advise men who have sex with men (MSM) to get tested once a year and every three months if they have a new partner.
United Kingdom is not the only one experiencing a rise in the number of HIV cases. In the latest data by the World Health Organization, 37 million people are living with HIV and only 51 percent of people with HIV know their infection status.
Photo: Dominic Alves | Flickr
