The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes AIDS, has brought about a
global epidemic far more extensive than what was predicted even a decade ago.
UNAIDS and WHO now estimate that the number of people living with HIV or AIDS
at the end of the year 2000 stands at 36.1 million. This is more than 50%
higher than what WHO’s Global Programme on AIDS projected in 1991 on the basis
of the data then available. The following is a list of facts were taken from
the HIV/AIDS
Epidemic Update December 2000 report by UNAIDS:
Global summary of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Worldwide, 36.1 million people
are infected with HIV/AIDS, including 1.4 million children. The incurable
disease has claimed 21.8 million lives since the epidemic began, 4.3
million of them children. In 2000, 5.3 million people became newly
infected with HIV/AIDS and 3 million people died of AIDS. (Source: Joint
UN Program on HIV/AIDS, World Health Organization, HIV/AIDS
Epidemic Update, December 2000 report.
Trends in the developing world. For the first time, there are
signs that HIV incidence – the annual number of new infections – may have
stabilized in sub-Saharan Africa. New infections in 2000 totaled an
estimated 3.8 million, as opposed to a total of 4.0 million in 1999.
However, if HIV infections start to explode in countries that have had
relatively low rates up to now, such as Nigeria, regional incidence could
start rising again. Out of the 25.3 million people living with AIDS in
sub-Saharan Africa, 55% of the infected adult population are women.
(Source: Joint UN Program on HIV/AIDS, World Health Organization, HIV/AIDS
Epidemic Update, December 2000 report.
Adverse trend among women. This year's regional HIV/AIDS
statistics reveal percentages of HIV-positive adult population who are
women are 55% in Sub-Saharan Africa, 40% in North Africa and Middle East,
35% in South and South-East Asia, 13% in East Asia and Pacific, 25% in
Latin America, 35% in the Caribbean, 25% in Eastern Europe and Central
Asia, 25% in Western Europe; 20% in North America and 10% in Australia and
New Zealand. (Source: Joint UN Program on HIV/AIDS, World Health
Organization, HIV/AIDS
Epidemic Update, December 2000 report.
Men make a difference. The theme of this year’s World
AIDS Campaign - recognizes men’s enormous potential to make a difference
when it comes to curbing HIV transmission, caring for infected family
members, and looking after orphans and other survivors of the epidemic.
Altogether, an estimated 2.5 million men aged 15-49 became infected during
2000, bringing the number of adult males living with HIV or AIDS at year’s
end to 18.2 million. (Source: Joint UN Program on HIV/AIDS, World Health
Organization, HIV/AIDS
Epidemic Update, December 2000 report.
* For more information, contact: Cecilia Snyder of the Communications
Consortium Media Center (CCMC)
