State of Emergency Declared in Fiji: One in 60 People Carry HIV

- Fiji, a small country located in the Pacific Ocean, has declared a national emergency due to the outbreak of HIV, amid rising infection rates, which is partly attributed to the worsening problem of methamphetamine use. Current estimates indicate that one in every 60 adults in this archipelago, which has a population of less than one million, is infected with HIV, which contrasts with the global trend of declining infection rates of this incurable virus, although treatments are available to manage it.

Fiji is a prominent tourist destination known for its friendly culture, white sandy beaches, and vibrant coral reefs; the country first announced the outbreak of the virus in January 2025, then intensified testing, revealing the extent of this worsening public health crisis. Upon declaring the state of emergency on Tuesday, Health Minister Atonio Lalabalavu stated that the country recorded 2,060 new HIV cases in 2025, describing it as an indicator of "the seriousness of the epidemic and the urgent need for a coordinated response required by our country now."

The epidemic has also affected newborns; this week, the organization "Save the Children" in Fiji reported that a two-month-old infant became the youngest diagnosed patient living with both HIV and tuberculosis, noting that HIV attacks the immune system and increases the likelihood of contracting tuberculosis. The organization mentioned that 59 infants contracted the virus from their mothers last year.

Five years ago, estimates indicated that one in every 167 people in Fiji was living with HIV. However, Fiji has seen a sharp rise in intravenous drug use in recent years, as the islands have become a major transit point for drugs smuggled from the Americas to lucrative markets in Australia, New Zealand, and parts of Asia.

This situation, along with the continued sexual transmission of the virus due to low condom use, has made it difficult to combat this outbreak.