Highest NZ HIV Numbers Ever
Figures released by the AIDS Epidemiology Group at Otago University show that in 2005, 183 people were diagnosed with HIV, the highest total for one year since records began in 1985 and a 17 percent increase on 2004 (157). Of the 183 new diagnoses, 89 were men-who-have-sex-with-men (up 19 percent on 2004), 73 (35 men and 38 women) were infected heterosexually (no increase on 2004) and six were children diagnosed with HIV through mother-to-child transmission, four of whom were born in NZ to mothers who had not been diagnosed with HIV. There are now more people living with HIV in NZ than ever before.
HIV Maternal Screening Starts This Month
The first District Health Board (DHB) will start routinely offering HIV screening for pregnant women this month. Waikato DHB will be the first to begin rolling out the universal programme beginning from 20 March. Within the next three years all 21 DHBs will have completed the necessary work to enable them to offer a high quality screening service.
The HIV screening will be incorporated into existing tests for pregnant women at between 8 and 14 weeks, which include: full blood count, rhesus factor, rubella, syphilis and hepatitis B.
Contact for Enquiries
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
Pastoral House
25 The Terrace
PO Box 2526, Wellington
Tel: 0800 00 83 33
Fax: +64 4 894 0720
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