In the first six months of 2026, 487 new HIV infections were reported in Sri Lanka a figure that represents a significant increase compared to the same period last year.
According to the latest reports issued by the National STD/AIDS Control Programme, 249 new infections were recorded in the first quarter of 2026, with an additional 238 cases reported in the second quarter.
This marks a 13.3% increase when compared to the 430 HIV infections recorded during the first half of 2025 (comprising 230 cases in the first quarter and 200 in the second).
Latest data indicates that the majority of those infected are men; as of the second quarter of 2026, the ratio of male to female infections stands at 7:1. During the first six months of this year, 55 cases of HIV infection were reported among the youth population aged 15 to 24; this group includes 48 males, 6 females, and one transgender individual.
Furthermore, 8 deaths attributed to AIDS were recorded during the first two quarters of 2026, with 4 deaths occurring in each quarter. Consequently, the total number of AIDS-related deaths in the country has risen to 820, while an additional 111 deaths have been identified as resulting from causes other than AIDS. The total number of deaths among all individuals diagnosed with HIV up to the year 2025 stands at 1,708.
The report further indicates that, while 117 instances of mother-to-child HIV transmission have been identified to date, no such infections were reported during the fourth quarter of 2025. Meanwhile, 73 individuals infected with HIV have been identified through the Immigration and Emigration Health Unit; this figure includes 9 individuals identified during the second quarter of 2026.