Number of HIV cases in NZ continues to rise

4.00pm

Sixty-seven people were diagnosed with HIV in the first half of this year, continuing a trend which saw a record number of people newly diagnosed in 2003.

An additional 12 people already diagnosed, mostly overseas, underwent testing in New Zealand for the first time, figures released today by Otago University's Aids Epidemiology Group show.

The group's director, Nigel Dickson, said the overall figure of 79 appeared to show that the record number of people diagnosed last year was not a one-off event.

Overall, 188 cases were diagnosed in 2003 -- the highest number recorded in any single year since 1985. The figure was up from 107 in 2002 and 95 in 2001.

"If you look at what the figures were last year, it's consistent with those findings," Dr Dickson told NZPA.

"It is consolidating what we saw from last year -- that overall there has been a rise in the number of people being diagnosed."

Of the 67 people newly diagnosed, 52 were men and 15 women. Of the other 12, nine were men and three were women.

There were 14 new notifications of full-blown Aids in the six- month period.

The figures show a continuation of last year's trend, where a high number of people were found to have contracted HIV through heterosexual contact.

Of the 79 cases, 30 had contracted HIV in this way.

Thirty-six people contracted HIV through male homosexual contact, four through either homosexual contact or intravenous drug use, one through intravenous drug use alone, and three through birth.

The group was awaiting further information on the five undetermined cases.

The report says the new notifications bring the overall total of people who have been notified with Aids in New Zealand to 819.

The number of people found to be infected with HIV is now 2153.

- NZPA