World Estimates of the HIV/AIDS Epidemic at the end of 2003
Estimate
(millions) Range
(millions)
Number of people living with HIV/AIDS in 2003 Adults 35.7 32.7-39.8
Women 17 15.8-18.8
Children
<15 years 2.1 1.9-2.5
Total 37.8 34.6-42.3
People newly infected with HIV in 2003 Adults 4.1 3.6-5.6
Children
<15 years 0.63 0.57-0.74
Total 4.73 4.17-6.34
AIDS deaths in 2003 Adults 2.4 2.2-2.7
Children
<15 years 0.49 0.44-0.58
Total 2.9 2.6-3.3
Total number of AIDS deaths between 1981 and the end of 2003. 20 million
Total number of children orphaned by AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa between 1981 and the end of 2003. 12 million
By December 2003 women accounted for nearly 50% of all people living with HIV worldwide, and for 57% in sub-Saharan Africa.
Young people (15-24 years old) account for half of all new HIV infections worldwide, more than 6000 become infected with HIV every day.
An estimated five million people in low and middle income countries do not have the AIDS drugs which could save their lives.
Regional Statistics for HIV & AIDS end of 2003
Adults & Children
Living with HIV/AIDS
(millions) Adult Infection
Rate (%) Deaths of
Adults & Children
(millions)
Sub-Saharan Africa 25.0 7.5 2.2
East Asia 0.9 0.1 0.04
Oceania 0.03 0.2 0.0007
South & South-East Asia 6.5 0.6 0.46
Eastern Europe & Central Asia 1.3 0.6 0.049
Western Europe 0.58 0.3 0.006
North Africa & Middle East 0.48 0.2 0.024
North America 1.00 0.6 0.016
Caribbean 0.43 2.3 0.035
Latin America 1.6 0.6 0.084
Global Total 37.8 1.1 2.9
During 2003 an estimated five million adults and children became infected with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), the virus that causes AIDS, and by
the end of the year an estimated 38 million people worldwide were living with HIV/AIDS. The year also saw nearly three million deaths from AIDS,
despite the availability of HIV antiretroviral therapy, which reduced the number of deaths in high income countries.
Notes
Adults in this report are defined as men and women aged 15-49. This age range captures those in their most sexually active years. While the risk of
HIV infection continues beyond the age of 50, the vast majority of people with substantial risk behaviour are likely to have become infected by this
age. Since population structures differ greatly from one country to another, especially for children and the upper adult ages, the restriction of
'adults' to 15-49 has the advantage of making different populations more comparable.
Children orphaned by AIDS, are those children who have lost one or both parents to AIDS.
All the statistics on this page needed to be interpreted with caution because they are estimates.
www.avert.org...
It is no exagerration to say that AIDS/HIV affects the third-world much more than the first world. Not too many people in power in the western world
are becoming infected and perhaps, like many other things, AIDS has spread further than the "conspiritors" thought it would. I think any point for
AIDS being a manufactured virus can easily be argued. So what if it kills a million North Americans and Europeans? "They're all junkies, whores and
homosexuals who are being infected anyway" The fear that AIDS might hit home could be what began serious research to help prevent the spread of AIDS.
But the virus has done enough damage already. Millions have and will die of the disease before there is a universal vaccine. Even if it isn't a
man-made genocidal agent, it certainly could be seen as targeting specific groups (namely the impoverished) and doing a damn good job of it.