Doctors Manitoba | Manitoba Declares HIV Public Health Emergency

Manitoba has declared a public health emergency in response to a sharp rise in HIV cases — with rates now among the highest in Canada. The increase reflects broader challenges tied to substance use, housing instability, mental health, and inequitable access to care.

New HIV diagnoses climbed from 90 cases in 2019 to 328 in 2025.
Manitoba’s rate of 19.5 cases per 100,000 people is more than three-and-a-half times the national rate of 5.5.
The highest rates are in Prairie Mountain Health and Northern Health, though Winnipeg continues to see the largest number of diagnoses.

📈 What’s different in Manitoba: The province’s HIV profile does not mirror national trends.

More than half of new cases are among females, compared to 32% nationally.
Most newly diagnosed women are under age 40, increasing the risk of perinatal transmission.
Manitoba reported perinatal HIV transmission cases in both 2024 and 2025.
Transmission is most commonly linked to injection drug use and unprotected heterosexual sex.
Indigenous peoples remain disproportionately affected.

💡 What’s happening: The province is establishing an HIV Response Steering Committee through Public Health, with Indigenous and community leadership central to its work.

Priority areas include:

Expanding access to PrEP
Enhancing HIV testing and earlier diagnosis
Improving connection to care
Delivering targeted supports for communities at highest risk

🩺 What physicians can do: Early intervention and reducing stigma remain critical.

Offer or refer for PrEP: Pre-exposure prophylaxis is available at no cost through the Manitoba Enhanced Pharmacare Program (MEPP).
Prioritize testing: Especially for patients who are pregnant, use injection drugs, or are experiencing housing instability.
Address stigma directly: Fear, misinformation, and discrimination continue to create barriers to testing and treatment.

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Manitoba Declares HIV Public Health Emergency