The large increase in the number of people being diagnosed with HIV in the Yorkshire area is a cause for real concern.

The region has seen new cases go up by 100 per cent over a ten-year period, and health chiefs are alarmed by the dramatic rise.

Developments in treatment of the condition have advanced dramatically, and awareness programmes have constantly tried to get the message of safe sex across. But it seems there are still a significant number of people who are having unprotected sex with new partners and contracting HIV as a result.

Of particular concern is the number of those infected who are unaware of their HIV status and infect others.

And it is worrying that even those in high-risk groups are sometimes refusing to have an HIV test when it is offered to them.

Early diagnosis is particularly important as early treatment gives those with the infection a very good chance of near-to-normal survival.

Which is why health officials want to encourage anyone with any concerns that they may have been exposed to the infection to have the test.

As Deborah Jack of the National AIDS Trust said: “People shouldn’t be scared of HIV testing, but they should be scared of undiagnosed HIV.”

Huge advances have been made in the treatment of HIV over the last 30 years.

But only those who have been diagnosed can benefit from that.

The message is simple – if you have concerns, then have the test. The consequences of not knowing you have HIV far outweigh the fear of being told you have the infection.