State of emergency in Israel's partner country: HIV outbreak at its peak

The Fijian government has declared a national state of emergency due to a sharp rise in HIV cases. In 2025, 2,016 new carriers were diagnosed – 16 times more than in 2019. One in 60 adults in the country now lives with the virus. The government is expanding free testing, preventive medications, and treatment for all infected individuals.

The Fijian government has declared a national state of emergency due to an unprecedented outbreak of the HIV virus. According to data from the local Ministry of Health, 2,016 new carriers were diagnosed in 2025 – 16 times more than in 2019. This means that one in 60 adults in the small island nation now lives with the virus. Health Minister Ratu Antonio Lalabalavu stated that expanded testing has revealed some of the morbidity, but the numbers indicate the severity of the epidemic. The government is offering free testing, preventive medications for high-risk individuals, clean needles for drug injectors, and free treatment for all who test positive. UNAIDS issued a statement of support, noting that Fiji faces one of the sharpest increases in new infections worldwide. More than half of the cases where the transmission route was identified were linked to sexual contact, and 42% to drug injection.