KUALA LUMPUR: Young adults comprised the majority of new HIV cases reported in Malaysia last year, says Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.

Dr Dzulkefly said that 75% involved those aged between 20 and 39, adding that the pattern of HIV transmission in the country has shifted significantly over the years.

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He said that this shift is a move from infections caused by sharing drug needles to HIV being spread through sexual contact.

“In 2024, sexual transmission accounted for 96% of all HIV cases. Of these, 64% involved homosexual or bisexual contact, while 32% were heterosexual,” he said in a written reply to Tan Kok Wai (Pakatan-Cheras) in Parliament.

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Dr Dzulkefly reported a total of 3,185 new HIV cases in 2024, with a notification rate of 9.4 per 100,000 people. Men accounted for 90% of the cases, while women made up 10%.

“This shows a change compared to the 1990s, when almost all cases involved men (99%) and only 1% were women,” he added.

The overall number of new HIV and AIDS cases in Malaysia dropped by 50% between 2000 and 2009. However, the decline has slowed in recent years, with only a 27% decrease recorded from 2010 to 2024.