Ireland is grappling with a surge in HIV cases, as reported by the Health Protection Surveillance Center (HPSC). Shockingly, 884 new cases were diagnosed in 2022, a stark increase from 527 in 2019. Of great concern is the more than doubling of HIV incidence among women, soaring from 134 cases in 2019 to 298 in 2022. Conversely, men experienced less than a 50% increase.
While there’s a slight uptick in HIV cases among transgender individuals, experts suspect that increased testing efforts are contributing to the rise in reported cases. Notably, 58% of new cases are linked to gay, bisexual, and men who have sex with men (gbMSM), though the number of affected women is growing. Heterosexual transmission accounts for 35% of patients. This concerning trend underscores the need for intensified public health measures and awareness campaigns.