THE number registered HIV or aids carriers is up in Worcestershire.

The Worcester Aids Foundation said the number of clients on its books had jumped from 12 positive cases in Worcestershire, in 1996, to 130 today.

The largest increase has happened in the past four years and reflected a national trend, centre manager Sue Jordan said yesterday.

"We're seeing a number of people who may have been going to their GP for years and it isn't picked up until they suffer a nasty infection."

A specific problem was the county's conservative nature, said Ms Jordan.

Health professionals tended to carry out infection tests as a last resort, she added.

"I believe it's because the issue isn't being explored in the news and media as much as it once was."

Sheena Stewart, Sexual Health Manager for Worcestershire, estimated that 10-15,000 HIV tests a year were administered across the county.

For the past three years, pregnant women as well as anyone attending a sexual health clinic, were automatically offered an HIV test, she said.