NEW HIV diagnoses among heterosexual men and women in England have surged by over 30 per cent in the last two years, new data reveals. Experts aren't certain why cases are rising but suggest better access to testing may be a factor. It is the second consecutive year that heterosexual diagnoses of HIV have outpaced those among gay men .
Experts say this indicates that "more action" is needed to reduce new HIV diagnoses among heterosexuals. Charities fear the aim of ending new cases of HIV in England by 2030 is now “at risk". The latest figures reveal that new diagnoses in England jumped by 15 per cent from 2022 to 2023, rising from 2,451 to 2,810.
Read more on HIV Officials said they are working to “further explore the reasons for this rise in new diagnoses” but they could include the opt-out testing programme in emergency departments. They said clinics not reporting some diagnoses which have been previously diagnosed abroad or underlying transmission. For men exposed to HIV through sex with women, the number of new diagnoses first made in England rose by 36 per cent from 445 in 2022 to 605 in 2023.
It rose by 30 per cent from 602 to 780 among women exposed to the virus through sex with men. Most read in Health The rise in cases was steepest for ethnic minority heterosexuals with a 45 per cent rise seen in this group compared to the previous year. In 2022, heterosexual diagnoses of HIV surpassed those among gay men for the first time.
HIV diagnoses in England among men e.