1,3 % of adults in Estonia have HIV

Estonia has the largest HIV epidemic in the Baltic States and is the second European country with the highest incidence rate of the virus in the adult population behind Ukraine (being the first among the EU members).

Most cases of HIV in Estonia are concentrated in two regions: the capital city Tallinn and its surrounding areas, Harju-County, and the area near to the border with Russia, Ida-Viru County.

In the county of Tartu there has been some increase in registered cases, but this is mainly due the cases registered in Tartu prison.

The majority of all HIV infections are among IDUs and their sexual partners. As of the end of 2006, 83% of reported HIV infections with a known transmission mode were through injecting drug use.
The HIV infected are mainly young, 15-29 years old, and majority is Russian-speaking.

But this year’s good news is that HIV rate in Estonia is decreasing slowly probably also thanks to the new national HIV and AIDS Strategy was developed for the years 2006-2015 together with an action plan for years 2006-2009.

The government also created a high-level multisectoral HIV and AIDS Governmental Committee as an advisory body to the Government for the central coordination of the implementation of the new strategy.