"Reprint from “ UNAIDS - AIDS Epidemic Update - December 2007"

Sub-Saharan Africa continues to bear the brunt of the global epidemic.About 1.7 millions [1.4-2.4 millions] of new infections have occurred in 2007, bringing to 22.5 millions [20.9-24.3 millions] the total number of persons living with the virus. Differently from other regions. the great majority of persons with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa are women (61%).

More than two thirds (68%) of persons with HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa where more than three fourths (76%) of all deaths due to AIDS in 2007 occurred there.

In this region, South Africa is hit the worst - in 2005 the incidence of adults infected with HIV was 15% higher than the other eight countries in the Southern African region.

South Africa is the country with the majority of all HIV infections, worldwide, but, as in many countries in the Southern, Western and Eastern African regions, the incidence of HIV infections in the adult population is stable or decreasing.

This last trend is more evident in Kenya and Zimbabwe, and signs of decrease of HIV incidence can be seen also in Ivory Coast, Mali and in the urban areas of Burkina Faso. In these countries changes are occurring leading to more prudent sexual behaviours.