Guwahati, Aug. 13 -- Meghalaya recorded 574 new HIV infections during the first quarter of 2026, including 16 pregnant women, according to data released by the Meghalaya AIDS Control Society (MACS).

The figures were shared as MACS launched the Statewide Intensified Information, Education and Communication Campaign 3.0 at Lady Keane College in Shillong on Wednesday. The launch coincided with International Youth Day and marked the beginning of a renewed statewide drive to strengthen HIV awareness, testing and prevention.

According to MACS, casual sexual contact accounts for about 52 per cent of HIV infections reported in the state. Around 32 per cent are associated with regular partners or spouses, while injecting drug use contributes to ...