Just in time for World AIDS Day, UNAIDS and the World Health Organization issued a grim report on the global epidemic in 1998. For those “AIDS is over” pundits, pick a number, any number.
AIDS is now the world’s No. 1 killer, surpassing malaria and tuberculosis.
It was the cause of death for 2.5 million people worldwide in ’98.
1998 saw 5.8 million global HIV infections—a “collective failure,” said UNAIDS’ Dr. Peter Piot—a 10 percent increase over last year.
3 million of those were among 15- to 24-year-olds.
11 people worldwide got HIV every minute in ’98.
33.4 million people around the world now have HIV.
43 percent of all people over 15 with HIV are women.
75,000 people in North America and Western Europe got HIV in ’98.
4 million people in sub-Saharan Africa got HIV in ’98.
That region packed 5,500 AIDS funerals per day.
25 percent of people in Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Zambia and South Africa are living with HIV.
47 million people around the world have become HIV-infected since 1981.
14 million people around the world have died of AIDS since 1981.
Clinton infections 1998 (as of November 30): 4,487 Since January 1, 1993: 13,040
