Recent Health News: Cases of AIDS and HIV Infections on the Rise in Many Countries

AIDS, along with cancer, has been the scourge of modern society since its outbreak 25 years ago in the '80s. A United Nations report estimates that there are 38 million people worldwide currently infected with HIV. A recent study shows that the number of new HIV infections has decreased considerably in ten different countries, including Cambodia, Haiti, Kenya, and Zimbabwe. While the studies may at first glance suggest a global decrease in the deadly virus, many other countries have just as many or even more new cases of HIV infection as before. South Africa continues to be the country worst affected, with about 19% of its population of 47 million afflicted at any given time. The good news: the Caribbean, usually lagging just behind South Africa in terms of new HIV infections, reported a decrease in the number of infections in Haiti and in the Bahamas.

All is not peachy keen and glowing in the fight against AIDS, however. Stunningly, it continues to be the leading cause of death in the Caribbean between ages 15 and 44. If you find that scary, consider this: AIDS has been proven to be the fifth leading cause of death in the United States for people ages 25 to 44. Vietnam, China, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Russia, Pakistan, and Bangladesh all reported increased incidents and outbreaks of HIV within the past year. Belize, a popular tourist location, has the highest per capita rate of HIV in Central America.