Ludhiana, Feb. 28 -- The district topped the state in the number of intravenous drug users (IDUs) in HIV patients reported in 2023 and 2024 according to the data collected by the Punjab State Aids Control Society (PSACS).

In 2022-23, the district saw 2,092 cases of which 1,704 were IDUs, and in 2023-24, out of the 2,141 cases reported, 1,755 were IDUs.

The distant second was Bathinda with 1,295 IDU HIV cases in 2022-23 and 1,142 cases in 2023-24.

IDUs have also come to make for most of the HIV patients reported in the district over the last 15 years. In 2012, only 12% of reported patients were IDUs. The number rose to 59% in 2024.

The state recorded 12,507 HIV positive cases in 2022-23 of which 8,932 were IDUs. In 2023-24, the state s...