UN lowers AIDS infection estimates

The United Nations has reduced its estimates of the number of people worldwide infected with the HIV/AIDS virus.

In a report published today (November 20th), UNAIDS, the UN Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS, estimates 33.2 million people around the world are infected with the virus, compared to 39.5 million last year.

However, the agency has admitted the drop is largely due to improved data-gathering rather than an actual drop in the number of HIV/AIDS cases, and that it had previously over-estimated the number of people infected.

"The single biggest reason for this reduction was the intensive exercise to assess India's HIV epidemic, which resulted in a major revision of that country's estimates," the report said.

UNAIDS executive director Dr Piot added in a statement: "These improved data present us with a clearer picture of the AIDS epidemic, one that reveals both challenges and opportunities."

The report also revealed an estimated 2.5 million people have become infected with HIV/AIDS this year, with the disease causing 2.1 million deaths worldwide.

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