HIV in Canada: 2019 Surveillance Highlights

Organization: Public Health Agency of Canada

Published: 2020-11-11

• 2,122 new diagnosed cases of HIV in 2019
• 69.8% of newly diagnosed cases were male
• 30.2% of newly diagnosed cases were female

Key points:

• The national diagnosis rate was 5.6 per 100,000 population in 2019
• HIV diagnosis rates remained stable over the last decade, with some minor fluctuations
• Male to male sexual contact remains the exposure category with the largest proportion of new HIV diagnoses; recent trends suggest these proportions are beginning to decrease.

HIV diagnosis rate per 100,000 population in 2019:

• National HIV diagnosis rate – 5.6
• Provincial and territorial HIV diagnosis rates:
  • Territories – 1.7
  • British Columbia – 3.5
  • Alberta – 5.8
  • Saskatchewan – 16.9
  • Manitoba – 8.8
  • Ontario – 4.7
  • Quebec – 7.4
  • Atlantic – 3.0

Reported HIV cases by exposure category in adult females in 2019:

• Injection drug use – 38.4%
• Heterosexual contact – 48.0%
• Other – 13.6%

Reported HIV cases by exposure category in adult males in 2019:

• Male-to-male sexual contact –  56.2%
• Injection drug use – 14.6%
• Male-to-male sexual contact and injection drug use – 4.8%
• Heterosexual contact – 20.0%
• Other – 4.4%

Distribution of new HIV cases, by age group and sex:

• In males:
  • <15 years of age – 0.3%
  • 15-19 years of age – 1.5%
  • 20-29 years of age –25.5%
  • 30-39 years of age – 29.7%
  • 40-49 years of age – 19.7%
  • ≥50 years of age – 23.3%

• In females:
  • <15 years of age – 1.3%
  • 15-19 years of age – 1.9%
  • 20-29 years of age –21.5%
  • 30-39 years of age – 33.9%
  • 40-49 years of age – 22.9%
  • ≥50 years of age – 18.7%

Perinatal HIV in 2019:

• 250 infants exposed to HIV during pregnancy
• 98.0% of HIV positive mothers on perinatal antiretroviral therapy
• 1 infant with HIV:
  • mother did not receive perinatal antiretroviral therapy
• Based on sentinel surveillance representing 95% of exposed infants