A recent study by Kerala’s Health Department has found a rise in HIV cases in Perumbavoor, a town in Ernakulam district. HIV infection has been confirmed in 15 people, including Malayalis and minor girls.
Officials at the Taluk Hospital said the report has already been submitted to the Health Department.The 15 new cases were detected during random HIV testing carried out by the District Medical Office in November and December.
According to Kerala Kaumudi, the tests were conducted through the Perumbavoor Taluk Hospital. Since the testing was random, health officials are now facing difficulties in tracing the infected individuals and finding their current locations.
There is uncertainty over whether all those who tested positive are still living in Perumbavoor or if some have moved elsewhere for work. Officials say many people change their place of residence out of fear of being isolated or discriminated against if their HIV status becomes known.
What are the reasons behind the surge?
As reported by regional media, health officials believe that sharing syringes among drug users is one of the main reasons for the spread of HIV in the region. Another concern is sex work among migrant workers from other states, which is said to be widespread in some areas and may have contributed to the rise in infections.
Officials also point out that language barriers make it difficult to identify infected individuals and to carry out awareness programmes among migrant populations. This has made prevention and follow-up efforts more challenging.
Young people are increasingly affected across Kerala
Recent data by health department shows that a growing number of HIV patients in Kerala are young people. According to 2024–25 figures, 14 percent of those infected were between 19 and 25 years old. Out of the 1,213 people diagnosed with HIV during this period, 197 belonged to this age group.
Earlier in January while inaugurating National Health day, Health Minister Veena George warned that HIV cases are rising at an alarming rate among the youth in the State. “The youth should maintain extreme caution against the danger of HIV and maintain a healthy lifestyle as the latest information gathered by the Kerala AIDS Control Society shows that new cases of HIV in Kerala are increasing at an alarming rate among the youth,” she said
Kerala continues to be a low-prevalence State when it comes to HIV. The national adult HIV prevalence rate stands at 0.20, while Kerala’s rate is much lower at 0.07. However, officials warn that the State is still vulnerable to increased transmission. High levels of inter-State migration into Kerala, along with many young people travelling to other States or abroad for work and higher studies and then returning, increase the risk of the virus spreading.
Steady flow of new HIV cases
Data from recent years shows that new HIV cases continue to be reported regularly in the State. In the 2022–23 financial year, 1,183 new cases were recorded. This number rose to 1,263 in 2023–24 and stood at 1,213 in 2024–25. In 2025 alone, between April and October, 819 people were reported to have contracted HIV.
Over the last three years, Kerala recorded a total of 4,477 new HIV cases. Of these, 3,393 were men, 1,065 were women, and 19 were transgender individuals. During the same period, 90 pregnant women in the State were found to be HIV positive.
HIV can spread through unsafe or unprotected sexual relations, sharing of needles, unsafe blood transfusions, and from mother to child during pregnancy. Health experts say the rising number of cases among young people highlights the urgent need for better awareness and prevention efforts.
Reiterating this concern, the Health Minister said, “as per the available figures, new cases of HIV among those in the 15-24 year age group, which was 9% in 2022, had risen to 14.2% in 2024. This figure was 15.4% between April and October in 2025. She said that HIV awareness and prevention activities in the State needed to be focussed amongst the youth.”