LONDON—The U.K.'s Adult Industry Trade Association (AITA) reports that a local, unnamed performer has come up positive for HIV in a preliminary test, and will re-test today for confirmation. Pending the results of the second test, the organization has asked all U.K. producers and talent to suspend any planned production.
News of this scare broke Tuesday night when Brazzers contract performer and native Brit Keiran Lee, currently in London for a friend's wedding, announced on Twitter: "Due to the issue in the UK I have decided to cancel all UK shoots and will not be filming on this trip to UK ... there seems to have been a HIV outbreak."
AITA's notice on the matter posted to its website goes on to say that should the second test by the performer in question return positive as well, a moratorium on production should be put into effect until all performers who may have had direct or indirect exposure to the "zero" party have received new tests. Furthermore, it urgers all performers to use condoms during any sexual activity in the interim to prevent additional spread of the virus.
AITA plans to announce further details on this developing situation as they become available via its own Twitter feed @AITA_UK.
UPDATE: The following is the text of a press release sent out today by AITA:
In response to the recent announcement of a UK adult performer testing positive for the initial test for HIV; AITA (the UK's Adult Industry Trade Association) issues the following statement.
Following the news of confirmation of HIV in initial testing and pending the results of the second test which was taken on Wednesday 11th April 2012 to confirm diagnosis; results of which are expected on Thursday 12th April; AITA has called for producers and performers to comply to:
1) Suspension of all shoots IMMEDIATELY, pending the results of the second test. Your health, the health of others and the future of the industry that provides your livelihood are all at stake.
2) Should the result of the second test prove positive, all shooting in the UK should be suspended until all performers are re-tested, particularly those performers who have worked directly or indirectly with the performer concerned.
3) Shooting should not resume until further notice - it is expected this will be at least 30 days, to ensure any further infections have been identified.
4) All performers should use condoms with sexual partners while this process of testing takes place to avoid any risk of further spread.
AITA is in contact with the said performer and will issue updates as and when we are receive them on the AITA website.
In addition every producer that has worked with the said performer has been notified and has been instructed to inform performers they have worked with past and present.
AITA is pleased that to announce as of the morning of Wednesday 11th April when the above guidelines were first distributed amongst the industry, all major UK production companies have complied and have now ceased production until further notice.
AITA Chairman Jerry Barnett is available for comment. To request this or further press information, please contact Nina Saini [at] [email protected].
