General Article HIV diagnoses at lowest level since 2000 thanks to testing and prevention efforts

Topic Selected: Sexual Health Book Volume: 379
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By Anviksha Patel

The number of new HIV diagnoses in the UK has fallen by almost a third since 2015 and is at its lowest level since 2000, figures by Public Health England have revealed.

Data has shown there were 4,484 new diagnoses of HIV in 2018 compared to 6,271 in 2015 – a decline of 28%.

PHE said this was due to ‘enormous’ testing and prevention efforts in the UK.

Diagnoses have fallen in both gay and bisexual and heterosexual populations, according to PHE data. However, the steepest falls are among gay and bisexual men where there has been a 39% decline since 2015.

Within that group, the biggest decline has been among gay and bisexual men living in London and those between 15 and 24, with diagnoses decreasing by 50% and 47% respectively.  

Between 2015 and 2018, new HIV diagnoses amongst heterosexual populations fell by 24%.

However, PHE has said the challenge in early diagnosis remains. Over 40% of new diagnoses in 2018 were at a late stage of infection, which increases the r...

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