Vol. 522 No. 3
179 Mr. Power asked the Minister for Health and Children if the number of people who have contracted HIV is increasing; the way in which the figure compares within the EU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18778/00]
The number of new cases of HIV reported to my Department by the virus reference laboratory has been increasing each year since 1994. In 1999 there were 209 new cases reported, representing the highest number of cases in any year apart from the cumulative figure of 363 for all cases up to the first year of reporting in 1985. A European AIDS surveillance system has been in place since 1984. The most recent report for 1998 shows Ireland had one of the lowest incidence rates of AIDS – 3.6 cases per million population – compared to countries like Spain which had an incidence of 93.3 cases per million population. The UK had 14 cases per million population.
A European HIV surveillance system is being developed. At present the European prevalence database contains aggregated data on HIV prevalence in various populations, for example, pregnant women and blood donors, which represent populations at low risk of HIV infection. The most recent figures available – 1997 – show that prevalence was less than one per 100,000 in this group, which was similar to Norway, Sweden and Denmark, compared to a rate of one to less than four cases per 100,000 in England, France, Italy and Germany, with four or more cases per 100,000 in Spain and Portugal.
Europe is moving to a standardised HIV case-based reporting system, which will include drug misuse and other risk activities and which will give a more comprehensive epidemiological profile of the incidence and prevalence of HIV in total populations.
