Europe Faces Setback in AIDS Fight as Late Diagnoses Rise
Copenhagen, Denmark – A new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reveals a concerning trend: a majority of HIV diagnoses across Europe are occurring too late, potentially hindering efforts to eliminate AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
The joint surveillance report indicates that 54 percent of HIV diagnoses in the WHO European Region in 2024 were made at a stage where optimal treatment was compromised. The WHO European Region encompasses 53 countries, extending from the EU to Central Asia. Within the European Economic Area (EEA) – the EU plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway - 48 percent of the over 24,000 diagnoses fell into this late-diagnosis category.
Late diagnoses delay access to life-saving therapies and care,increasing the risk of HIV transmission,progression to AIDS,and ultimately,death,according to the WHO and ECDC. Authorities are urging an expansion of HIV testing options, including increased accessibility to self-tests, to address the growing gap.
Globally,approximately 1.3 million people were newly infected with HIV in 2024, with around 630,000 AIDS-related deaths, according to UN data. As of the end of 2024, 40.8 million people worldwide were living with HIV, with over three-quarters having access to antiviral medications.
In Germany, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) estimates around 2,300 new HIV infections occurred in 2024, representing a rise of approximately 200 cases compared to 2023.
The report underscores the critical need for proactive testing strategies to achieve the ambitious 2030 goal of eliminating AIDS as a public health concern.
