HIV Test – Record Levels of HIV Reported in Wales

HIV and AIDS are obviously a serious disease and Welsh officials are calling for an increase in the numbers taking an HIV test after research showed that instances of HIV reached record highs in Wales during 2007.

According to a report in icWales, the number of confirmed new cases of HIV in 2007 was 172 based on statistics provided by the NHS. This represented an increase from the 154 new cases, which was also a record, the previous year and prompted doctors in Wales to call for an increased uptake of the HIV test and for people to practice safe sex.

HIV Test – Safety First

According to the report in icWales, doctors in Wales said that unprotected sex was by far the biggest cause of the increased rate of HIV across the country and called for people to submit to an HIV test in order to avoid inadvertently affecting a partner. Despite the increase in the number of HIV cases in Wales, the number of cases of the fully fledged version of the disease, AIDS, has remained static in the past 10 years. The process of an HIV test is much less problematic than previous years and Welsh officials are stressing the importance of seeking an HIV test if there is a possibility of infection. According to the report in icWales, the main areas of transmission of the HIV virus in Wales is amongst homosexual men, heterosexual men who have contracted the disease from trips to South East Asia or Africa and those who have immigrated to the UK from the aforementioned regions.

HIV Test – Seeking Help

Another reason for the number of HIV cases in Wales reaching record highs is due to an increased number of people seeking help, such as an HIV test, from health professionals. Speaking to icWales, Dr Mary Browning of the NHS, stated, “These treatments are very successful and much less frightening than they were many years ago.” Speaking about the importance of an HIV test, Dr Browning stated, “It is important for everyone but is vital for those who may have a new partner – male or female – and have no knowledge of their past sexual history.”

Speak To CityDoc About An HIV Test

CityDoc gives you all the medical services you need, right in the heart of London. With a clinic in Harley Street and one on Moorgate, this is the ideal GP practice for busy Londoners. Offering individual care, and a corporate health services to businesses, CityDoc provides a comprehensive healthcare service, with rapid referrals to specialists where necessary. Whether you’re looking for a private doctor, an STD test or other sexual health tests, or you just need inoculations before your next holiday, CityDoc can help. Call for an appointment on 0207 935 6260 (West End) or 0207 256 8668 (City) or just fill in our online form for more information.

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