UN cuts estimate for global HIV infections

THE United Nations yesterday sharply reduced its estimate for the number of people worldwide infected with the AIDS virus, citing a significant reassessment of HIV prevalence in India.

Revised figures in the latest UNAIDS annual report slashed an estimate for total infections this time last year to 32.7 million from 39.5 million cases, the number given in the 2006 report.

“The single biggest reason for the reduction in global HIV prevalence figures in the past year was the recent revision in India after an intensive reassessment of the epidemic in that country,” UNAIDS said in its report.