HIV/AIDS: the disease that won’t stop. Over 650,000 cases in the EU in 2023, and the numbers keep rising

Brussels –Over 2.6 million people are HIV-positive in Europe alone, with more than 650,000 cases in the European Economic Area (EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway). The 2023 numbers show the ongoing struggle with HIV/AIDS that still requires because, to date, there are no vaccines or treatments capable of eradicating the disease, which proliferates thanks to flawed habits, little prevention, and even fewer screenings.

The situation is not improving.  It even gets worse. In 2023, in the EU area and trading partner countries, there were 24,731 new cases of HIV, even more than in 2022 (22,995). Virtually every year, a city the size of Ascoli Piceno becomes completely HIV-positive.

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that weakens defenses against other infections and diseases. The most advanced stage of HIV infection is AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). Present in a variety of bodily fluids, such as blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and breast milk, HIV can be transmitted through sexual intercourse, blood transfusions, sharing of contaminated needles, and between mother and child during pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding. 

The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) on World AIDS Day recalls how one of the main factors is, as always, prevention. At present, it complains, “more than one in ten people living with HIV in the EU are still unaware of their status, which contributes to late diagnosis, worse outcomes, and the continued spread of HIV.”

It is no coincidence that EU policy on HIV/AIDS focuses on prevention and support for people living with the disease. The European Commission is implementing measures and tools in several areas, including supporting member states to achieve Target 3.3 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. In this context, the Commission facilitates the exchange of good practices through the Health Security Committee and dedicated networks on the Health Policy Platform.