A NEW report published by Public Health England (PHE) in advance of National HIV Testing Week shows that there are now nearly 110,000 people living with HIV in the UK.

Around a quarter of these (26,100) are unaware of their infection and at risk of passing on the virus to others through unprotected sex.

Encouragingly, the proportion of people diagnosed with a late stage of HIV infection fell from 57 per cent in 2004 to 42 per cent in 2013.

The report shows around 6 per cent of gay and bisexual men are now living with HIV, rising to 13% in London - with 3,250 newly diagnosed in 2013, an all-time annual high.

It is estimated that over 7,000 gay men have an HIV infection that remains undiagnosed and that an estimated 2,800 men acquired HIV in 2013.

These figures underline the need to further increase both the numbers and frequency of HIV tests, which is critical to tackling the ongoing high levels of HIV transmission.

Whilst the large majority of black Africans do not have the HIV infection, the report also draws attention to the fact that one-third of the 40,000 black African heterosexual men and women living with HIV in the UK do not know they have HIV.

In Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, 1,434 people are accessing treatment for HIV.

“We can’t overstate the importance of testing for HIV to ensure an early diagnosis,” said Dr Valerie Delpech, head of national HIV surveillance, for PHE.

“People diagnosed promptly with HIV infection can expect to live long and healthy lives. However, in 2013 people diagnosed with HIV late were ten times more likely to die in the first year of diagnosis compared to those diagnosed promptly.

"People who remain unaware of their infection are also at risk of transmitting HIV to others.”

Dr Shona Arora, Centre Director for the Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Public Health England Centre added: “Knowing one’s HIV status is the key to both effective treatment, and to preventing onward transmission.

"This is why we are promoting National HIV Testing Week. The campaign encourages people who are most affected by HIV to take an HIV test.

"This includes gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM) and black Africans in particular.”

“Used correctly and consistently, condoms remain an inexpensive and effective way to prevent HIV.

"We are also now seeing important and exciting data on ways to use antiretroviral medication to prevent HIV.

"PHE has accelerated its support of the evaluation of these measures as they may help to turn the tide on the HIV epidemic.”