HIV increases in Jersey.

The number of people suffering from HIV doubled in Jersey in 2006.

According to a report released by ACET (Aids Care Education and Training) at the beginning of December there were 60 known cases in the island at the end of 2006, although it is suspected that there was also a number of undiagnosed cases.

According to figures released in the report the categories most at risk in the island were the young, the gay community, drug addicts and those for whom English is not their first language.

ACET Jersey is a member of the ACET international alliance, an international group working to reduce the rate of HIV infection, to support those affected by the virus and to care for AIDS orphans.

In Jersey ACET has been working in conjunction with Standard Chartered Bank to eradicate prejudice against HIV sufferers in the work place. ACET has also helped draft a new sexual health strategy and set up an anonymous testing system in the island.

ACET is a Christian-based charity and its work in Jersey is centred on St Paul