This year, 38 new people with HIV/AIDS have been registered in Macedonia, which represents an incidence of 2,1 per 100.000 inhabitants, according to a report by the Institute of Public Health on the occasion of December 1, World AIDS Day.
The number of cases in 2025 is 25,5% lower compared to the same period in 2024, when 51 cases were registered. For comparison, the incidence in EU countries in 2024 was 5,3/100.000 inhabitants.
Of the cases in 2025, the majority reside in Skopje, while the remaining cases are registered as sporadic cases in 14 cities in Macedonia. One case in 2025 is a foreign citizen.
"In 2025, eight AIDS-related deaths were registered. Of the registered cases, 37 were male, one female. The age of the patients does not deviate significantly from the age distribution of previously reported cases. The average age of new cases is 35 years and ranges from 23 to 64 years, 73,7% of cases are between the ages of 20 and 39 years," the IPH report states.
Macedonia is a country with a low prevalence of HIV: from 1987 to 2025, 726 cases of HIV/AIDS were registered, but in recent years there has been an upward trend, with 32% of all cases registered in the last five years. During the same period, 138 people died from AIDS-related causes, representing a mortality rate of 18,2%.
"With the introduction of antiretroviral therapy, the survival of people with HIV has significantly improved. In the last 10 years, out of 447 registered cases, there have been 33 deaths, representing a mortality rate of 7,4%," the IPH said.
According to the mode of transmission, the majority of cases (62,1%) are men who have sex with men. Heterosexual transmission was registered in 229 cases.
HIV remains a major global public health problem, with an estimated 44,1 million deaths recorded to date. Transmission of the virus occurs in all countries globally. An estimated 40,8 million people were living with HIV at the end of 2024, 65% of whom were in Africa. Last year, an estimated 630,000 people died from HIV-related causes and an estimated 1,3 million people became newly infected with HIV.
There is no cure for HIV infection. However, with access to effective prevention, diagnosis, antiretroviral treatment, and HIV care, including for opportunistic infections, it has become a chronic health condition, enabling people with HIV to lead long and healthy lives.
