Middle-East and North Africa HIV-related trends in the Middle East and North Africa vary, as incidence, prevalence, and AIDS-related deaths are on the rise in some countries, while in others the epidemic is stable. Generally, HIV prevalence in the region is low, except in Djibouti and Southern Sudan, where the epidemic is becoming generalized. Latin America The HIV epidemics in Latin America are generally stable. A steady decrease in new annual HIV infections since 1996 levelled off in the early 2000s and has remained steady since then at 100 000 [73 000–135 000] each year. The total number of people living with HIV in this region continues to grow. That increase is partly attributable to the increase in people living with HIV who receive antiretroviral therapy, which has helped reduce the number of annual AIDS-related deaths. More than one third (36%) of adults living with HIV in this region in 2010 were women. The number of children younger than 15 living with HIV in this region has declined. There was a considerable decrease in new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths among children between 2001 and 2010. Oceania The number of annual new HIV infections in Oceania increased slowly until the early 2000s, and then declined. The number of people living with HIV in this region reached an estimated 54 000 [48 000–62 000] at the end of 2010, about 34% more than the estimate for 2001. AIDS-related mortality has decreased considerably. North America, and Western and Central Europe The HIV epidemic in North America and Western and Central Europe remains stubbornly steady, despite universal access to treatment, care and support and widespread awareness of the epidemic and the causes of HIV infection. HIV incidence has changed little since 2004. The total number of people living with HIV in North America and Western and Central Europe reached an estimated 2.2 million [1.9 million–2.7 million] in 2010, about one third (34%) more than in 2001. More than half (about 1.2 million) of the people with HIV in this region live in the United States of America. The rising number of people living with HIV reflects the wide-scale availability of antiretroviral therapy, especially in the countries with the largest epidemics, which has significantly reduced AIDS-related mortality. The number of AIDS-related deaths has varied little since 2000, despite the 34% increase in the number of people living with HIV. Recent trends vary across the region. Rates of diagnosed HIV cases doubled between 2000 and 2009 in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Slovakia and Slovenia and increased by more than 50% in the United Kingdom. On the other hand, new HIV diagnoses decreased by more than 20% in Latvia, Portugal and Romania.3
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