The annual AIDS epidemic update reports on the latest developments in the global AIDS epidemic. With maps and regional summaries, the 2007 edition provides the most recent estimates of the epidemic’s scope and human toll and explores new trends in the epidemic’s evolution.
Download Report - 2007 AIDS Epidemic Update (English)
Fact sheet
Global Overview
• Global HIV prevalence
(the proportion of people living with the virus) appears to have
levelled off. However, the number of people living with HIV has risen
to 33.2 million [30.6-36.1 million] in 2007 from 29.0 million [26.9
million-32.4 million] in 2001.
• Some 2.5 million [1.8-4.1
million] people were newly infected with the virus in 2007 and 2.1
million [1.9-2.4 million] people died of AIDS-related illnesses.
• An estimated 35,000 [16,000-65,000] people in the region acquired
HIV in 2007, bringing to 380,000 [270,000-500,000] the total number of
people living with HIV. An estimated 25,000 [20,000-34,000] people died
of AIDS-related illnesses in 2007.
− Few data are available in the region and much more needs to be done to improve surveillance and data collection.
− Most HIV infections occur in men and in urban areas, with the
exception of Sudan, the country with the highest prevalence in the
region, where unsafe heterosexual intercourse is the most important
risk factor for HIV infection.
− While unprotected paid sex is a key factor in the HIV epidemics
throughout the region, injecting drug use is the main route of HIV
transmission in many countries.
