The Federal Ministry of Health has rejected reports suggesting a dangerous rise in HIV cases in Islamabad. The clarification is important as it addresses public concern over a possible outbreak. Authorities say the situation remains stable and under control.
The ministry stated that the reported figures were misrepresented by combining data from multiple months. It said that 15 months of HIV cases were incorrectly presented together, creating a misleading impression. Officials stressed that no evidence supports claims of a widespread epidemic in the capital.
Read more: Sindh reports sharp rise in HIV cases during 2026
According to the ministry, monthly HIV case numbers do not show any unusual increase. It added that out of 618 reported cases, only 210 patients were residents of Islamabad. The rest were linked to other cities, which were included in the broader dataset.
Officials further said that cases identified in specific high-risk groups do not indicate general population spread. They emphasized that targeted detection in vulnerable groups is part of routine health monitoring. This, they said, should not be interpreted as a citywide outbreak.
Read more: Health panel raises concern over HIV data gaps
The ministry concluded that Islamabad’s HIV situation remains fully controlled. It also urged responsible reporting of health data to avoid unnecessary public alarm. Authorities said monitoring and prevention efforts will continue across all risk groups.