HIV Rates Down in South Africa, But Still Apocalyptic

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — South Africa's health minister said Thursday that HIV infection rates among pregnant women declined for the second straight year and claimed it was proof of the success of government policies. South Africa has an estimated 5.4 million people infected with the virus, the highest total in the world. Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang said that a new survey showed that 28% of women screened at prenatal clinics last year had the virus that causes AIDS, down from 29.2% in 2006. She said that overall, 37.9% of women aged 25-29 were infected with HIV, down from 38.7% in 2006. Full results of the annual survey will be released in the coming weeks, she told parliament. After prolonged delays in providing lifesaving drugs to AIDS patients, South Africa, where 900 people die each day of the disease, has made big strides in the past year in rolling out treatment. At the end of February, more than 450,000 people had started therapy, the health minister said. This is about half the number estimated to be in need of drugs.

• JJ Commentary: The slight decline in infection rates for pregnant women is laudable. However, the numbers of HIV cases is still staggering, truly an end-time epidemic