Disease centre confirms 10% rise in HIV infections

The National Disease Surveillance Centre has confirmed that the number of newly-diagnosed HIV cases in Ireland increased by 10% last year.

The centre said 399 new cases of the disease were diagnosed in Ireland last year, mostly among people aged between 20 and 40.

It said the majority of those affected were heterosexuals and appropriate contraception could have prevented their infection.

Some 199 of the new cases were among people from sub-Saharan Africa.