2019 Sindh HIV outbreak

2019 Sindh HIV outbreak refers to a Grade II Emergency as declared by the World Health Organization in the Ratodero area of Larkana District, Sindh, Pakistan.[1] It was the first of many outbreaks of HIV in Pakistan in which the majority of those infected were children.[2]

By 13 June 2019, at least 798 people including more than 650 children had tested positive for HIV out of the 27,000 people who volunteered for screening.[3] By October 2019, approximately 1,100 people including almost 900 children under 12 had tested positive although the majority of the population still had not been screened at the many temporary testing centers that had been established.[2] By 19 November 2019, there were 895 confirmed cases with 754 being children out of the 37,272 people to have been screened for the virus.[4]

The causes of the outbreak were identified by health officials as "unhygienic practices" including re-use without sterilization of medical syringes and needles in doctors' clinics and blood banks, barbers' razors, tattoo needles, nose- and ear-piercing tools, circumcision blades, and dental instruments. Transmission from mother to child was also cited as a possible cause.[1][2]

A 2016 outbreak in Rotadero infected approximately 1,500 men who had sexual intercourse with infected prostitutes.[2]