Patiala, Feb. 6 -- Punjab's HIV patient count has seen a concerning and steady rise, the highest among the northern states, over the past five years, reveals the Union ministry of health and family welfare data.

Unlike the national trend, where sexual transmission remains the primary driver, intravenous drug use has emerged as the leading cause of new infections in Punjab.

The state's patient count has seen a staggering jump of nearly 32,000 cases in five years, rising from 57,172 in 2020-21 to 89,159 by 2024-25, shows the data that was presented in the Rajya Sabha on February 3.

While Punjab's numbers are climbing, its neighbours have reported significantly lower figures. In Haryana, the number of people living with HIV rose 24,165 in...