The Hull Daily Mail has begun its High Court battle to lift an injunction preventing it from revealing details about an HIV health scare terrifying families in Hull and the East Riding.

Hundreds of patients have received letters advising them that a health worker involved in their care was infected with the HIV virus.

But an injunction was taken out by the Medical Defence Union against the Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, which also prevents the Mail from reporting details about the scare.

This includes details of which hospitals are involved in the scare, which surgical procedures are involved, or anything else which may identifying the worker.

The Mail has now begun its fight, and at a hearing at the High Court in London on Monday – lasting two-and-a-half hours, legal arguments were outlined.

The hearing, in front of Mrs Justice Hallet, will continue next week.

The Mail is arguing that many details related to the case are already in the public domain, after publication by other media.

It is also arguing that disclosure of further information related to the case is in the public interest and would help to answer major questions of public concern.

The paper does not intend to name the worker, irrespective of the outcome of the legal challenge.

Mail assistant editor Marc Astley said: “We want to be able to tell our readers what area he worked in.

“The patients we have spoken to are keen that the information is made public and find it difficult to understand why it can’t be published.

“We strongly believe that it is in the public interest.”

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