AIDS report revealed in Washington

THE number of children worldwide who have lost one or more parents to Aids is expected to reach 25 million by the end of the decade, activist groups said in Washington.

Senators Mike DeWine and Hillary Rodham Clinton released the report along with the two groups to raise awareness of the millions of children worldwide who are affected by the disease being orphaned at a young age or contracting the illness.

Of the estimated 40 million people worldwide who are living with the HIV virus that causes Aids, more than 2.5 million are under 15 and about 11.8 million are between 15 and 24, the report said.

The groups said 13.4 million children have lost one or more parents to Aids. That number is expected to nearly double by the end of the decade, the report said.