New cases of HIV hit highest levels in five years

New HIV cases have reached their highest point in five years — with a record number of infections among gay men and a major increase among injecting drug users.

Publishing the figures in advance of Irish Aids Day today, the HSE’s Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) said efforts to combat the continuing rise among gay men “need to be sustained and strengthened”.

Advocacy group HIV Ireland said the rise in new infections was a “great cause of concern” and said public debate on HIV and Aids was “being deafened by silence”.