Authorities in northern Cyprus deny rumors of new HIV cases

Unconfirmed reports regarding new HIV cases have circulated widely on social media in Lefka and Morphou. Rumors included the distribution of lists containing names, photographs, and personal videos, alleging that dozens of individuals were infected. The reports claimed that several people traveled to the Republic of Cyprus for medical testing. The so-called 'Ministry of Health' in northern Cyprus officially denied these claims, stating that no new HIV cases have been recorded in the past month. The authorities emphasized that the circulated lists and social media posts are unfounded and urged the public not to share misinformation. The panic appears linked to a previous case involving a 25-year-old Turkish citizen who was diagnosed with HIV and deported from the area, which sparked prior public debate regarding contact tracing. Individuals named in the social media lists have publicly rejected the allegations as false and defamatory.