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HIV cases among young people raise fresh concerns

A total of 59 HIV cases among people aged 15–24 were reported during the first half of 2026, according to the Quarterly Report on HIV – 2nd Quarter 2026 released by the National STD/AIDS Control Programme of the Ministry of Health.

According to the report, 24 cases among the 15–24 age group were recorded in the first quarter of 2026, comprising 20 males and four females.

During the second quarter, a further 31 cases were reported among the same age group, comprising 28 males, two females and one transgender person.

Overall, 249 HIV cases were reported in the first quarter and 238 in the second quarter, bringing the cumulative number of reported HIV cases to 7,890 by the end of June 2026, the report stated.

The report estimates that 8,700 people were living with HIV in Sri Lanka in 2025, with an estimated 860 new infections during the year. Adult HIV prevalence among people aged 15–49 was estimated at below 0.1%.

The report also shows that males accounted for the majority of reported HIV cases. By the end of the second quarter of 2026, cumulative reported cases stood at 6,178 males, 1,682 females and 30 transgender people, with a male-to-female ratio of 7:1.

Four AIDS-related deaths were reported during the second quarter of 2026, according to the report, bringing cumulative reported AIDS-related deaths to 820.

Meanwhile, the report states that 1,217,419 HIV tests were carried out during 2025, with an HIV sero-positivity rate of 0.07%.

The figures highlight the continued importance of HIV prevention, awareness, testing and early treatment, particularly among young people, while also stressing the need to avoid stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV.

The National STD/AIDS Control Programme is the Ministry of Health’s main institution coordinating Sri Lanka’s national response to HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections.