Minnesota HIV Stats for 2023 Show Increasing Health Disparities — June 28, 2024

Recently released data from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) confirms an unfortunate reality: the HIV/AIDS epidemic is not over, and the disparities are growing. With 324 newly diagnosed HIV infections in Minnesota in 2023 the state saw a 24% increase over 2022, and the highest number of new diagnoses in more than a decade.

Two-thirds of newly diagnosed cases in Minnesota are within communities of color, with cases disproportionately affecting almost every minority racial group. 31% of new cases are in the Black community, 22% are in the Latinx community, and 4% are in the Indigenous community – despite the fact that these groups combined only account for 15% of the population of the state. There was a significant increase in new cases being diagnosed among foreign born people, accounting for almost ¼ of all new cases. The was a particularly large jump in new cases in people born in Latin America and the Caribbean with a 150% increase. Men who have sex with men was the most commonly identified mode of exposure in 2023, with a small decrease in IV drug use as the mode of exposure.

Data from the Minnesota Department of Health. See all data

In 2020 MDH declared an HIV outbreak in Hennepin County, which continues. 31% of cases in 2023 were diagnosed in the city of Minneapolis, with 79% of cases diagnosed in the Twin Cities seven county metro area. However, newly diagnosed infections were found across the state, with more than half of counties having at least one new diagnosis.

One of the more encouraging facts from MDH’s statistics is that there have been no babies born with infections acquired from mother to child in Minnesota since 2017. As they state “Without antiretroviral therapy, newborn HIV infection rates range from 25-30%, but decrease to 1-2% with appropriate medical intervention.” This affirms the incredible importance of access to healthcare for people living with HIV. A regular medication regimen can get the viral load of someone living with HIV down to an undetectable level, which means they are unable to transmit HIV to others.

Although this new data can feel discouraging, it is important to recognize the policy progress being made that can help turn the tide. During the 2023 legislative session our elected leaders passed historic increases in funding for housing for people living with HIV, and in 2024 they passed a comprehensive sex ed requirement and over the counter PrEP and PEP access. All of these changes will be key to improving the quality of life for people living with HIV and preventing new infections.