Atlanta does not have an HIV outbreak despite misinformation on social media
“Atlanta has 20,000 new cases of HIV this year.” That’s the rumor circulating on Facebook and TikTok. The original post, which didn’t cite any sources, spawned hundreds of videos parroting the claim to hundreds of thousands of viewers. But it’s wrong.
In 2023, Georgia reported 2,442 new HIV diagnoses (a drop from 2,511 in 2022) — a far cry from the 20,000 being spread online. We don’t yet have numbers for 2025, and maybe that uncertainty has created space for the rumor to grow. But there are no alerts from public health departments or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggesting any sudden spike.
Sensational claims like “HIV is out of control” take root so easily because of the deep stigma surrounding the virus, and once misinformation takes hold, it feeds even more stigma — a vicious cycle.
Online comments were filled with racism and homophobic rhetoric, using fear to scapegoat vulnerable communities instead of grappling with the systemic issues that drive the epidemic.
Commenters online even claimed it wasn’t safe to eat at restaurants in Atlanta because of the so-called “outbreak.” That sentiment echoes a story we heard from a Southern client who broke down crying when their doctor hugged them because their family was too afraid to touch them — and even made them eat off disposable plates out of fear.
Cuts at the CDC further add to the confusion among the general public
This kind of thinking, which is fueled by a lack of education and reluctance to openly discuss HIV, makes it harder for people to seek testing, treatment or prevention without shame.
“Sadly, people are still dying because of stigma,” Humberto Posada-Orozco, an HIV advocate from North Georgia, shared with us. “It stops people from taking their medication because of the fear of disclosing their status.”
When we treat HIV as a moral failing instead of a public health issue, we undermine the very strategies that have brought us closer than ever to ending the epidemic.
Cuts and layoffs at the CDC, including dismantling the Division of HIV Prevention, erode our ability to track real HIV trends and correct false claims. Misinformation will only surge with weakened public health systems.
These cuts also jeopardize access to proven strategies like PrEP and PEP, which prevent HIV, and U=U, which educates the public that people with HIV who are virally suppressed cannot pass the virus to others. This anti-science mentality stops our ability to track health equity, particularly for Black, Latinx and trans communities, despite the fact that we know these communities are most impacted by barriers to prevention and care.
Georgia’s own policies add to the problem. Abstinence-only education means young people never learn the basic facts about how HIV is transmitted — or how it isn’t. Outrageous claims like the one above are more likely to circulate when communities don’t get the education they need. All at the same time, Georgia has chosen not to expand Medicaid to thousands of individuals.
Four steps for confronting falsehoods and misinformation about HIV
The truth is, HIV remains a serious challenge in the South. Rates are higher than in other regions, but that is not because people here are more reckless but because systemic racism, poverty and lack of access to care drive health disparities. Exaggerating numbers and furthering stigma will never help us solve the problem.
What should we do?
- First, question sensational claims, whether about HIV or any other health issue. Don’t share them without doing your own research. In this case, a quick Google search would show that 20,000 new cases are unsubstantiated.
- Second, demand that leaders invest in our public health infrastructure. We need the CDC to have the resources to release timely, accurate data and continue successful programs.
- Third, push back against stigma in your daily life. If you hear someone repeating stigmatizing tropes about HIV, don’t stay silent. Correct them with compassion. Stigma is learned, and it can be unlearned.
- Finally, advocate for comprehensive sex education. Young people deserve facts, not fear. They should grow up knowing HIV is preventable, treatable, and that people with HIV can live long, healthy lives.
In the 35 years since the Latino Commission on AIDS was founded, we’ve seen how misinformation spreads and the harm it causes. The rumor about Atlanta will fade, but another rumor will take its place if we don’t invest in public health.
Atlanta doesn’t have 20,000 new HIV cases. But we do have a crisis of misinformation. Unless we fight it with truth, the lies will spread faster than any virus.
Edric Figueroa is the Director of LGBTQ+ Initiatives at the Latino Commission on AIDS and has been working in the HIV field in Atlanta and beyond for over a decade.
Maggie Blunk, based in Durham, North Carolina, is the health advocacy and communications manager for the Latinos in the South program at the Latino Commission on AIDS.
