Atlanta Reportedly Sees 20,000 HIV-Positive Cases in Less Than a Year

The City of Atlanta is known for so many wonderful cultural contributions, and from television shows and music all the way to superb sports teams, Atlanta is usually in the spotlight in the U.S.

However, in 2025, the City of Atlanta is in the news for a heartbreaking and dubious distinction: one TikToker has alleged that there have been 20,000 HIV positive cases in Atlanta over an eight-month period.

Before proceeding, consider this a trigger warning for those who have been affected by HIV and AIDS.

Why, all of a sudden, have multiple social media users come forward to bring a spotlight on Atlanta and the numerous HIV cases, including personal anecdotes about contracting HIV in Atlanta? Is there a reason that such an astounding number of HIV cases have been documented in Atlanta over such a relatively short amount of time?

Below, we report on the 20,000 HIV cases in Atlanta over the last eight months, as well as what people are saying on social media about this terrifying statistical trend.

As TikTok user Shamar Alion notes in his video, perhaps the most unsettling part of the enormous figure — 20,000 positive cases of individuals who have contracted HIV — is that there is an untold number of individuals who are positive but have not been tested.

"The scary part is not the number of the ones we know — the 20,000 — it's the people we don't know," Alion explains. "It's the people who don't get tested, won't get tested, will never get tested. That's going to keep passing it on."

While Alion isn't trying to dissuade Atlanta residents from continuing to live in Atlanta, he does have a word of advice for those who live and love in Atlanta.

"I'm not trying to say 'leave Atlanta if you live in Atlanta,' I'm just saying, 'if you do live in Atlanta, and you're about to smash everything walking, you a wild one.' You brave," he said. "And those are just the numbers from the last few months. Those are brand new cases."

According to a story in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and republished by the Morehouse School of Medicine, "the Atlanta Metro area had the third-highest rate of new HIV diagnoses among U.S. metro areas in 2021 — 1,562 new cases."

According to a Facebook post by University of West Georgia counselling psychology student Crystal Williamson, as of Aug. 18, it was stated on local radio that there were 20,000 positive HIV cases in Atlanta over the last eight months.

"That's not even like, 'Oh, this is from the last 20,000 cases over the last 20 years.' No, no, no. These are brand new cases," Alion said. "It's best to just find one, y'all go get tested, y'all be on your protection [vibe], be safe, get tested, find your one, and fall in love."

As one TikTok user responded to Alion's video, "Married ladies should continue to get tested at every annual visit with their gyno or primary. Never stop."

As another TikTok user commented on Alion's video, you can never be too careful: "Before I met my wife in Atlanta, and I met her on TikTok… she made me bring up MyChart on my phone and hand her my phone. Not only did she see the results, she saw the trends of all my tests. I made her do the same. These numbers are scary AF."