New HIV infections in South Africa

South Africa: New HIV infections was 2.4 in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
2.4
Change on year
down 7.7%
World rank
1st
of 140 countries
All-time high
13.2
in 1999
All-time low
2.4
in 2025
Years of data
36
1990–2025

New HIV infections in South Africa, 1990–2025

2.557.51012.51990200720251990: 3.21991: 4.51992: 6.11993: 7.81994: 9.41995: 10.81996: 11.91997: 12.61998: 131999: 13.22000: 132001: 12.72002: 12.32003: 12.12004: 11.82005: 11.42006: 10.82007: 10.12008: 9.42009: 8.52010: 7.62011: 7.12012: 6.42013: 62014: 5.62015: 5.22016: 4.82017: 4.32018: 3.92019: 3.52020: 3.32021: 32022: 2.82023: 2.62024: 2.62025: 2.4

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

In 2025, new hiv infections in South Africa stood at 2.4. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.

That represents a change of down 7.7% on the previous year and down 53.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, new hiv infections in South Africa peaked at 13.2 in 1999 and was at its lowest, 2.4, in 2025.

South Africa ranks 1st of 140 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.

New HIV infections in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for New HIV infections (per 1000 uninfected population) in South Africa, 1990 to 2025.
Year Value Change
1990 3.2
1991 4.5 +40.6%
1992 6.1 +35.6%
1993 7.8 +27.9%
1994 9.4 +20.5%
1995 10.8 +14.9%
1996 11.9 +10.2%
1997 12.6 +5.9%
1998 13 +3.2%
1999 13.2 +1.5%
2000 13 -1.5%
2001 12.7 -2.3%
2002 12.3 -3.1%
2003 12.1 -1.6%
2004 11.8 -2.5%
2005 11.4 -3.4%
2006 10.8 -5.3%
2007 10.1 -6.5%
2008 9.4 -6.9%
2009 8.5 -9.6%
2010 7.6 -10.6%
2011 7.1 -6.6%
2012 6.4 -9.9%
2013 6 -6.3%
2014 5.6 -6.7%
2015 5.2 -7.1%
2016 4.8 -7.7%
2017 4.3 -10.4%
2018 3.9 -9.3%
2019 3.5 -10.3%
2020 3.3 -5.7%
2021 3 -9.1%
2022 2.8 -6.7%
2023 2.6 -7.1%
2024 2.6 +0.0%
2025 2.4 -7.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 9.25 3.2 13.2 10
2000s 11.21 8.5 13 10
2010s 5.44 3.5 7.6 10
2020s 2.78 2.4 3.3 6

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 2 Mozambique 2.3 compare
  2. 3 Lesotho 2 compare
  3. 4 Fiji 1.9 compare
  4. 4 Eswatini 1.9 compare

See the full ranking of 149 places →

More health data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is new hiv infections in South Africa?
New hiv infections in South Africa was 2.4 in 2025, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
What is the highest new hiv infections recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 13.2 in 1999.
What is the lowest new hiv infections recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 2.4 in 2025.
How does South Africa rank for new hiv infections?
South Africa ranks 1st out of 140 countries with data for 2025.
Is new hiv infections rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 53.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of New HIV infections (per 1000 uninfected population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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New HIV infections in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/new-hiv-infections-per-1000-uninfected-population/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
New HIV infections (per 1000 uninfected population)
Source
World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO)
Coverage
149 places, 5,277 data points, 1990–2025
Last refreshed