The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s annual HIV surveillance report, released on December 1 to coincide with World AIDS Day, showed a 17% increase in new HIV infections and a 5% increase in new diagnoses in the five boroughs by 2024.
The latest report highlights ongoing challenges in the overall fight to eradicate the epidemic in the New York area, where cases have remained stable or increasing since 2020. The report is released a year after new diagnoses increased 6.9% in last year’s report, which covered 2023.
In total, there were an estimated 1,431 new HIV infections in NYC in 2024, with a disproportionate impact on men who have sex with men, Black people, Latinos, and people living in high-poverty areas, according to the report.
Meanwhile, 1,791 new HIV diagnoses were recorded (not to be confused with new infections). Among these people, 44% were black and 41% were Latina, 75% were men, 20% were women, 4% were transgender women, and less than 1% were transmen.
Notably, men who have sex with men represented 65% of people newly diagnosed with HIV for whom transmission data were available.
Two-thirds of people newly diagnosed with HIV in the city last year were between 20 and 39 years old, while 16% were 50 years old or older. Last year, it was estimated that there were 85,800 people with diagnosed HIV across the city and about 5,500 people with undiagnosed HIV.
“Over the past three decades, we have made immense progress toward ending the HIV epidemic in New York City, with new diagnoses declining by more than 70% since 2001,” Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse said in a written statement.
“However, this progress has stalled, as new diagnoses have increased or remained stable for the fourth consecutive year, while federal funding vital to eradicating the epidemic is at risk.”
“Our health outcomes in New York City remain unequal across race, ethnicity, neighborhood, and income, and HIV is no exception. “That’s why the NYC Department of Health will continue to work to ensure that all New Yorkers receive the care and HIV prevention efforts they deserve.”
While the city saw increases in new infections and diagnoses, the report highlighted a slight improvement in numbers among those receiving HIV care. In 2024, 87% of people with HIV were receiving care, and 90% of those receiving care were virally suppressed.
The latest report coincides with concerns about efforts by both the Trump Administration and Republicans in Congress to sharply cut HIV/AIDS funding at the federal level.
The GOP-led House Appropriations Committee earlier this year issued a fiscal year 2026 funding bill that seeks to cut domestic HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention programs by nearly $2 billion. The Trump Administration proposed cutting more than $1.5 billion.
It should be noted that according to the New York Times, the Trump administration even ordered employees not to commemorate World AIDS Day this year. The State Department warned employees to refrain from sending messages on any commemorative day, including World AIDS Day.
