HIV claims 25 million lives, infects 60 million: UNAIDS

November 24, 2009

Almost 60 million people have been infected by HIV and 25 million people killed by causes related to the virus since the epidemic started, according to new data published by UNAIDS on Tuesday. While prevention programmes have helped to cut infection rates by 17 percent over the past eight years, the total number of people living with HIV continued to rise in 2008. By the end of 2008, a total of 33.4 million people or 20 percent more people were living with the epidemic compared to in 2000. "The continuing rise in the population of people living with HIV reflects the combined effects of continued high rates of new HIV infections and the beneficial impact of antiretroviral therapy," said UNAIDS in its annual report.