St. Vincent and the Grenadines is reporting an increase in HIV infections with heath officials saying that the new cases are clustering among young adults aged 25-29 and older men 60 and above.
Chief Health Promotion Officer Shanika John said recent data show worrying patterns that demand renewed attention to safe sex, particularly in the run-up to the carnival period.
‘We continue to see an increase in our number of cases,’ John said, adding ‘right now we are seeing HIV positive cases between age 25 and 29… and 60 years and older, which is predominantly male.’
She said women are still testing in greater numbers than men cautioning also changing sexual practices and a false sense of security may be contributing to riskier behaviour, especially among younger people.
‘For those younger persons, we do understand that you get creative and that you get innovative with your sex practices. But we’re asking you to remember that HIV and AIDS are still possible, and you cannot tell by looking if somebody is HIV positive, and the only way that you can do that is by protecting yourself.’
John is urging people to use a condom every time they have sex, ‘especially if it is not your partner, and if you have not tested yourself and your faithful partner’.
Officials have not release raw case numbers but framed the pattern as a clear upward trend that cuts across age groups, with a particular concern about younger adults and older men.
Carnival risk: pleasure now, problems later
The warning comes as the country prepares for Vincymas, dubbed ‘the hottest carnival in the region’, a period traditionally associated with increased travel, alcohol use and casual sex and John urged revellers to plan ahead rather than abandon caution ‘just for a moment of what might seem to be pleasure…
‘From the Ministry of Health, we really don’t want you drinking, but we do understand the nature of what’s happening. So we’re going to ask you to do so within moderation. For those persons who have pre-existing conditions, do not forget your pre-existing conditions and your medication. This is not the time for you to neglect existing conditions… just for a moment of what might seem to be pleasure.’
John said that while women are testing more frequently, a significant share of positive results are among men, particularly in the 25-29 and 60+ bracket and that this dynamic leaves gaps in the detection and treatment of HIV in the male population and raises questions about hidden transmission chains, particularly where partners are not mutually tested.