§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) United Kingdom and (b) Greater London residents were registered as suffering from (i) AIDS and (ii) HIV as at the latest available date. [5506]
§ Mr. HoramThe number of AIDS cases and HIV reports received by the end of September 1996 for the United Kingdom and for Greater London residents are shown in the table:
(a) United Kingdom (b) reported as Greater London residents (i) AIDS cases 113,056 27,195 (ii) HIV reports 27,945 16,601 1 9,279 known to have died. 2 4,809 known to have died. All the data are subject to reporting delay and under-reporting and thus can change.
The HIV reports underestimate the total number of infections as these reports represent only those individuals who perceive themselves to be at risk and request a confidential named HIV test. HIV/AIDs testing services are traditionally provided on an open access basis and the total number treated in Greater London exceeds those reported as resident in Greater London.