A total of 66 new borderline HIV/AIDS cases were recorded in Cyprus from January to October 2016, doubling the number of cases in five years, mainly concerning persons of a productive age.
According to the National Epidemiology Data, a copy of which CNA managed to secure, the largest numbers in a ratio of 8:1 are homosexual men aged 20 to 39.
Although the figures are around the same level as 2015, there is an upward tendency over the past five years, during which the numbers doubled compared to the previous decade.
The rapid increase over the past five years is confirmed by the data for each year. According to official data, in 2010 there were 41 new cases, in 2011 there were 54, 58 in 2012, 54 in 2013, 55 in 2014, and 80 in 2015.
While in 1986 there had only been 11 recorded cases concerning foreigners, in 2015 the number shot up to 80 and concerned mostly Cypriots.
According to the figures secured by CNA, in 2016 and specifically from January to October, 66 new borderline cases were diagnosed, of which 57 reside in Cyprus, six abroad, and three in the Turkish-occupied areas.
Of the 57 residents of Cyprus, 33 are Cypriots (31 men and two women), and 24 are foreigners (19 men and five women).
In 2015 80 new borderline cases were diagnosed, of which 71 reside in Cyprus, six abroad, and three in the Turkish-occupied areas.
Of the 71 residents of Cyprus, 43 are Cypriots (41 men and two women), and 28 are foreigners (22 men and six women).
Collective data since 1986 indicates that by the end of 2015 a total of 983 cases were diagnosed in Cyprus, of which 548 (55.7%) are Cypriots, including seven Turkish Cypriots living in the Turkish-occupied areas, and 435 (44.3%) are foreigners.
Of the 983 recorded cases, 672 live in the government-controlled areas of the Republic of Cyprus, 301 live abroad, nine live in the Turkish-occupied areas, and one is of unknown residence. Out of the 301 who live abroad, 274 are foreigners and 27 are Cypriots.
The main means of transmission is sexual intercourse (93.4%), which includes heterosexual (51.6%) and homosexual among men (41.8%).
Of the 983 borderline persons, 717 (73%) are men and 266 (27%) women.
The main way of transmission in men is sexual intercourse among men (57.3%) and heterosexual intercourse (36.1%), while in women it is heterosexual intercourse (93.2%).
Among the 541 Cypriots, the 482 are men and 59 women, giving a man-woman ratio of 8:1.
On the other hand, among the 433 foreigners, 227 are men and 206 women, giving a man-woman ratio of 1:1.
Furthermore, 65% of cases diagnosed belong to the 20-39 age group, while 31% to the 40-65+ age group, and 4% to the 0-19 age group.