Most people in Croydon develop HIV through heterosexual sex, bucking the national trend, a report reveals.

Health in Croydon, the annual report of the director of public health, says out of 171 cases diagnosed since records began, more than half were acquired heterosexually, as opposed to just 19 per cent nationally.

Because of this, proportionally more babies are born HIV positive in Croydon than elsewhere. Since 1989, 45 babies have been confirmed HIV positive.

The report also highlights a high rate of deaths from coronary heart disease and stroke and from lung cancer in women and a high infant mortality and abortion rate.

But the borough has the lowest death rate in the country from accidents to young people and a lower than average death rate from breast cancer.

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