Latest AIDS figures for Burnley and Pendle

The statistics, released by the Health Protection Agency, show the area has 25 more HIV patients accessing care than the neighbouring Blackburn With Darwen Primary Care Trust.

Nationally the number of people living with HIV in the UK reached an estimated 86,500 with a quarter of these unaware of their infection.

A total of 6,630 people in the UK were newly diagnosed as HIV-infected in 2009, representing a fourth year-on-year decline, mainly due to fewer diagnoses among people infected heterosexually abroad.

New diagnoses among gay men remained high at 2,760 and figures suggest four out of five probably acquired their infection in the UK.

Of the people newly diagnosed in 2009, 1,130 probably acquired their infection heterosexually within the UK, accounting for a third of heterosexuals diagnosed.

One in six gay men, and one in 16 heterosexuals newly diagnosed with HIV had acquired their infection within the previous four or five months before diagnosis.

Thirty seven English primary care trusts (PCTs) had a prevalence of diagnosed HIV greater than 2% per 1,000 population, the threshold at which expanded HIV testing should be implemented. In East Lancashire this figure was relatively low at 0.53% per 1,000 people.

Dr Valerie Delpech, consultant epidemiologist and head of HIV surveillance at the HPA, said: “We’re very concerned that a large number of people in the UK are unaware of their HIV status and that half of all newly diagnosed people are diagnosed late, meaning they may not benefit from very effective treatments.

“Thanks to the development of anti-retroviral treatments and universal access to world class health care through the NHS, HIV is a manageable illness for the vast majority of people in this country.”