WHO reveals surge in cases of HIV/Aids

A SHARP rise in the number of people with HIV/Aids in Ireland this year suggests almost 6,000 have the illness, the majority of whom are under 40 and Irish-born.

Figures revealed on World Aids Day yesterday show that despite a traditional belief the issue is a foreign problem, Ireland is just as much at risk of the virus as other nations.

Statistics provided by the World Health Organisation and support group Open Heart House indicate the global number of HIV/Aids cases dropped 19% since its peak in 1999. A reported 33.3 million people still suffer from the condition worldwide.