Sri Lanka, Nov. 2 -- Sri Lanka has reported 487 new HIV cases during the first six months of 2026, marking an increase compared to the corresponding period last year,

According to the latest figures released by the National STD/AIDS Control Programme, the country recorded 249 new cases in the first quarter of 2026 and a further 238 cases in the second quarter.

This represents a 13.3% increase compared to the 430 cases reported during the first half of 2025, when 230 cases were recorded in the first quarter and 200 in the second.

The latest figures also show that males continued to account for the majority of reported infections, with the male-to-female ratio standing at 7:1 during the second quarter of 2026.

Among those aged 15 to 24...