"National Crisis" HIV Cases Double in One Year...What Is Happening in a Leading Honeymoon Destination?

"Bluetooth trend" of injecting others' blood
Number of HIV and AIDS patients expected to double this year from last year

Fiji, one of the Pacific’s leading honeymoon destinations, has recently seen a sharp surge in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases.

View of Maramara Beach Club in Fiji. Fiji Tourism Board

On February 5 (local time), foreign media outlets including the New York Post reported that Fiji’s Ministry of Health and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) estimate that the number of people living with HIV and AIDS in Fiji will exceed 3,000 this year, reaching roughly double last year’s level. HIV is a virus that gradually weakens the immune system after infection and can progress to AIDS if appropriate treatment is not received.

Health officials have pointed to increased drug use as the main driver of the local spread. The World Health Organization (WHO), in a rapid assessment report released in December last year, stated that it had identified unhygienic needle-sharing practices among drug users in Fiji. This behavior is believed to be a major factor significantly raising the risk of HIV transmission.

In particular, an extreme form of drug use known as the "Bluetooth trend" is being cited as pouring fuel on the spread of HIV. Bluetooth refers to a practice in which a person who cannot obtain drugs injects the blood of someone who is already high in order to experience a hallucinogenic effect. During this process, contaminated syringes and blood can cause HIV to spread rapidly.

In fact, the number of HIV-positive people in Fiji has increased more than tenfold over the past decade. In 2024 alone, there were 1,583 new infections. In 2025, 1,226 cases were reported in just the first half of the year.

As the situation worsened, the Fijian government officially declared an HIV "outbreak" in January and launched a nationwide crisis response. The Ministry of Health is working with the WHO and others to devise emergency measures to contain the spread. A United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) official urged the attention and support of the international community, saying, "This crisis is more than a simple public health issue; it is a serious challenge that threatens Fiji’s development and human rights." The official added, "Swift action is needed to minimize the damage. We must expand access to HIV testing and treatment so that no one is left out of the healthcare system."

Meanwhile, Fiji is a popular honeymoon destination that attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists every year; last year alone, nearly 1 million visitors traveled there. It is renowned for its beautiful white-sand beaches, luxury resorts, and snorkeling. Neighboring countries, including Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs, have issued strong warnings to their citizens, stressing that they must exercise particular caution and avoid behaviors that carry a risk of infection.