Prior to 2014, HIV rates in Middlesex-London were lower than or similar to the Ontario rate. Between 2014 and 2016, local rates increased whereas the provincial rate was stable. In 2017 HIV rates in Middlesex-London began to decline, and in 2018, the local rate was more than 50% lower than at the peak of the outbreak in 2016.
In 2016, 74% of newly diagnosed HIV cases in Middlesex-London reported injection drug use as a risk factor. By 2018, the proportion had decreased to 52%. However, people who use injection drugs are still over-represented among local HIV cases. The Public Health Agency of Canada (2018) found that approximately 14% of HIV cases newly diagnosed across Canada in 2016 reported injection drug use as a risk factor.
Data source: Public Health Ontario Infectious Disease Query. Data current as of January 23, 2019 at 7:00 a.m.
Reference: Public Health Agency of Canada. Summary: Estimates of HIV Incidence, Prevalence and Canada’s Progress on Meeting the 90-90-90 HIV targets, 2016. Public Health Agency of Canada, 2018. Available from: https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/publications/diseases-conditions/summary-estimates-hiv-incidence-prevalence-canadas-progress-90-90-90/pub-eng.pdf. Accessed January 16, 2019.