Number of HIV cases surge: Health Department

A HIV-infected woman (file photo). (AFP: Ahmad Zamroni)

The Health Department says there has been a a surge in the number of HIV cases in Western Australia in the past decade.

Figures from the Health Department show 46 people were diagnosed with HIV in 1998.

In 2008, 74 cases were reported.

The acting Director of Communicable Disease Control, Gary Doust, says the rate of infection has stabilised in the past three years.

Dr Doust says this is mainly due to good health education and promotion campaigns, and improved detection methods.

"We continue to have a focus on health education campaigns in schools, working with high-risk groups such as gay and bisexual men, people from overseas, Australian men who travel to overseas destinations looking for casual sex," he said.

Trish Langdon from the AIDS Council says people need to practice safe sex and have regular health checks.

"We need to look at the provision of more user friendly and accessible services for people," she said.

"Ms Langdon says while AIDS is not common in Australia, people need to take care overseas where it is far more prevalent.