UK Prime Minister's House hangs red ribbon for World AIDS Day
1 December marks the 37th World AIDS Day, with this year's theme 'On the Road to Respecting Rights'. According to the The Joint United Nations Programme on AIDS (UNAIDS) report, there is around 39 million people living with HIV globally in 2023, with 1.3 million new infections and 630,000 deaths.
The number of people living with HIV in the adult population in the UK in 2023 will be around 104,000, with 6,008 new cases of HIV diagnosed, an increase of 51 per cent over 2022 expansion.
The UK government has announced that it will invest £27 million in expanding hiv screening and testing services in the public healthcare system, with the aim of halting the spread of HIV in the country by 2030.
HIV is a kind of virus. It is spread through the body fluids of an infected person, including blood, breast milk, semen and vaginal secretions. It is not spread by kissing, hugging or sharing food. Mother-to-child transmission is also possible. HIV can be prevented and treated with antiretroviral therapy (ART).
Antibody test can be carry out and being detected HIV 23 to 90 days after exposure. Most rapid tests and self-tests are antibody tests. A rapid antigen/antibody test done with blood from a finger stick can usually detect HIV 18 to 90 days after exposure.
