Nairobi Records Highest New HIV Infections- Over 3,000 Cases In Past Year
Nairobi County has emerged as a major hotspot in Kenya’s fight against HIV, recording the country’s highest number of new infections with more than 3,000 fresh cases reported in the past year, according to official data released on Sunday, November 30, 2025.
The national figures reveal a worrying upward trend, with Kenya registering 19,991 new infections over the same period—a 19% increase compared to the previous year. Health officials are particularly concerned that youth aged 15–34 account for 54% of all new cases nationwide.
The staggering figures, released just ahead of World AIDS Day (Monday, December 1, 2025), highlight persistent challenges in prevention efforts. Officials attribute the surge among young people to factors including low testing rates, inconsistent condom use, and limited access to comprehensive prevention services, particularly in densely populated urban informal settlements.
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HIV Awareness Half-Marathon Held
To counter the rising statistics, hundreds of participants gathered at Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday for the national HIV awareness half-marathon, co-organized by the Ministry of Health and the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council.
The event, themed “One Race, One Goal: Ending AIDS among Adolescents and Young People,” featured 21 km, 10 km, 5 km, and 2 km races that commenced at 6 a.m.
Principal Secretary for Medical Services Ouma Oluga flagged off the marathon, urging participants to leverage the occasion to get tested and spread vital prevention messages. Free testing and counseling services, alongside information on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and other youth-friendly services, were provided at the stadium.
To ensure runner safety, Mombasa Road was temporarily closed between Nyayo Stadium and Museum Hill until 10:30 a.m. Similar awareness walks and community events were simultaneously held across all 47 counties in the lead-up to World AIDS Day.
Kenya currently has 1.3 million people living with HIV on treatment. However, the sustained rise in new infections, especially within the capital and among the youth population, remains a critical concern. Health authorities stress that sustained awareness campaigns and improved access to prevention tools are mandatory to reverse the upward trend and achieve the national goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
