More than 10,500 people in NSW have been diagnosed with the HIV infection, but this figure is set to increase with the launch of a statewide campaign to promote HIV testing.

“Increasing testing rates is vital because HIV is generally transmitted by people who don’t know they have it,” Hunter New England Health director of sexual health services Dr Nathan Ryder said.

“Many people have not been tested recently and are possibly transmitting HIV to others.”

This week is HIV Testing Week, which runs until June 7.

A promotional music tour is travelling the state to encourage gay men, and others who are at risk, to get an HIV test. 

“During HIV Testing Week, we are encouraging people to check their HIV status and also support the campaign by posting #EASYTOUR on their social media accounts,” Dr Ryder said.

NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said significant progress had been made to make HIV testing easier and faster.

Rapid HIV tests require blood through a finger prick or mouth swab and the sample is processed within 20 minutes.

Express clinics, after hours and drop-in clinics, and online ­booking are part of a new era in HIV testing in NSW.

People can also request a test at their GP surgery.

“Achieving high levels of testing, treatment, and maintaining safe sex practices are the keys if we are to achieve our ambitious target of ending HIV,” Dr Ryder said.

The Hunter’s only HIV Testing Week tour stop is at Newcastle’s Customs House Plaza on Friday.

Gay and homosexually-active men remain the most at-risk group and made up 79 per cent of infections reported in NSW last year. Heterosexual cases of HIV made up 14 per cent of reported infections in 2014.

People from countries where there are high rates of HIV infection.

Anyone who has had unprotected sex while  travelling in countries with high HIV rates.