14 percent increase in HIV infections last year with detection of 695 new cases

The National Sexually Transmitted Diseases/AIDS Control Programme yesterday said there was a significant increase in the HIV infections in Sri Lanka last year compared to 2022.

Director of the National STD/AIDS Control Programme Dr. Janaki Vidanapathirana said most of the people who had contracted HIV are in the age group of 20 to 30 years.

Dr. Vidanapathirana said 695 new HIV cases had been identified in 2023.That was a 14 percent increase from 2022, she said. According to UN estimates there were about 4100 HIV infected people in the country, she said.