HIV cases increase more than 12pc in year

The number of people diagnosed with HIV last year increased more than 12 per cent.

In 2002, there were 107 new HIV cases, up 12.6 per cent on the 95 reported in 2001, the HIV/Aids and bloodborne viruses coordinating committee says.

Committee spokesman Steve Attwood said new infections had risen by an average of eight over each year for the past six years.

In the South Island the number of infections more than doubled from eight in 2001 to 18 last year.

Fourteen of those diagnosed were homosexual men.

Three were heterosexual women and one was a heterosexual man.



Mr Attwood estimated 30 per cent of people with HIV did not even know they had the virus because they had not been tested.



He said people falsely believed there was a cure for HIV, which had eroded the fear of HIV and Aids.



Another concerning trend in the latest HIV statistics was the rise in heterosexual infections and the number of people contracting HIV under the age of 29.

Mr Attwood said although most heterosexual infections had occurred overseas, the exposure to HIV infection through one act of unprotected sex was higher in New Zealand than it had ever been.

He said half of the new infections worldwide were of people aged 15-24.

"We aren't seeing that in New Zealand yet, but the high rates of chlamydia and gonorrhoea show young people are not practising safe sex," he said.

"It is important for people, whatever their sexuality and no matter where they live, not to automatically assume that their sexual partner is HIV negative.

"Love won't protect you but condoms will."

- NZPA