Around 5,500 people discovered their HIV status in 2023, according to the latest data from Public Health France.
- Public Health France estimates that around 5,500 people will discover their HIV status in France in 2023.
- This figure has been increasing steadily since 2020, due to the reduction in screenings during the Covid-19 epidemic.
- Since 2012, the incidence of HIV has been decreasing steadily in the country.
Every day, new people discover their HIV status in France. According to the latest figures from Public health Francethis represents around 5,500 new cases detected in 2023.
An increase in HIV discoveries in France
“The increase observed in recent years follows a significant decrease in 2020, linked to the Covid-19 epidemic.warns Public Health France. According to the data collected, the increase particularly affects people born abroad, “particularly among them, women infected through heterosexual intercourse and men who have sex with men (MSM)”. Nearly half of them were contaminated on national territory. The median age of people discovering their HIV status is 36 years, with the majority of those affected being between 25 and 49 years old. “Discovery rates differ from region to region, as in previous years, note Public Health France. Guyana has a much higher rate than all other French regions. In descending order, we then observe the highest rates in Mayotte, Martinique, Guadeloupe and Ile-de-France..”
A drop in the incidence of HIV on the national territory
If these different data show an increase for 2023, over a longer period, we observe an overall decrease. “Over the entire period 2012-2023, the number of HIV discoveries decreased by 10%.thus estimates the organization. Over this period, the incidence of the disease, i.e. the number of contaminations in France, fell regularly and stabilized. “This decrease is more marked among men who have sex with men born in France (-36%) and can in particular be explained by a more frequent use of screening than other populations, allowing HIV-positive people to be put on treatment more quickly. and by the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for some of them”considers Public Health France.
An increase in HIV testing in France
At the same time, screening is improving. In 2023, around 7.5 million HIV serologies, the name given to the search for a virus or bacteria in the blood, will have been carried out in French laboratories. According to the organization, this figure is increasing more markedly than in previous years. “This increase over the last year is partly linked to the HIVTest system, which allows free screening, without a prescription and without an appointment.specifies Public Health France. This system was implemented on January 1, 2022 across the country.
