The Czech Republic is experiencing a concerning rise in sexually transmitted infections, with HIV cases seeing a notable uptick in recent years.
Data from the National Institute of Public Health reveals that there were 269 new HIV diagnoses in 2024, a 6.3% increase from 2023. Of the new cases, 230 were men and 39 were women. Experts point to a combination of relaxed prevention strategies and a shift toward riskier sexual behaviors as major contributing factors to this rise.
While there has been a significant jump in HIV infections among heterosexual individuals, men who have sex with men remain the most affected group, representing 58% of all new diagnoses.
The average age of those newly diagnosed with HIV is 39.
It is also estimated that at least 1,000 people in the Czech Republic are unaware of their HIV-positive status, with one in eight infected individuals not knowing they are carrying the virus.
