Last year, 317 residents were notified with HIV – the lowest annual count in more than five years – despite a 21 percent jump in the number of tests conducted in public sexual health clinics.

It comes as the Albury Public Health Unit approaches a year of facilitating the EPIC Study, which gives at-risk residents access to medication called PrEP proven to prevent HIV transmission.

Sexual health clinical nurse consultant Alison Kincaid said the trial had received significant interest and was now being extended by two years.

“We’re still getting inquiries and continuing to enroll people who meet the criteria of being at a high risk of HIV,” she said.

“We’ve identified people that maybe wouldn't have had a test before, and they’re hearing about the EPIC study and being proactive to take care of their sexual health.

“It’s been extended and we’re up-scaling the number of people on the study to prevent them getting HIV.”

Ms Kincaid said NSW was on its way to ending transmission.

“It’s around testing of people, getting the message out there for people to practise safe sex, and using treatment as prevention – identifying as many people as we can who have HIV and getting them on treatment early to prevent transmission,” Ms Kincaid said.

“The other arm is to get people with high risk of acquisition onto PrEP.”

For more information about EPIC call the Albury Community Health Service on (02) 6058 1831.