Is It Up, Down Or Stable?

"AIDS" TITANIC

Amidst the hysteria of AIDS terror reports claiming it is on the rise we get this too:

Worldwide Aids epidemic slowing, says UN

The Guardian

Or here:

UN: AIDS epidemic stable; fewer deaths, infections

Tuesday, July 29, 2008 11:45 AM PDT

By MARIA CHENG

LONDON - Fewer people are dying of AIDS, more patients are on HIV medication and the global AIDS epidemic is stable after peaking in the late 1990s.

But the United Nations AIDS agency warned in its yearly report Tuesday that governments will need to continue setting aside millions of dollars for AIDS in the coming decades as patients live longer on AIDS treatment.

"We've achieved more in the past five years than in the previous 20 years," said Peter Piot, the agency's executive director. "But if we relax now, it would be disastrous. It would wipe out all of our previous investments."

UNAIDS estimates the number of AIDS case worldwide at 33 million; its previous estimate of 40 million was revised last year because of changes to how it counts cases.

Countries in sub-Saharan Africa including South Africa, Botswana and Swaziland, remain the center of the AIDS epidemic. The region has about 67 percent of all people infected with HIV and 72 percent of all AIDS deaths.

Outside sub-Saharan Africa, AIDS mainly affects drug users, gay men and sex workers.

Officials estimate that 2 million people died from AIDS last year, down from approximately 2.2 million in 2005.

Rest here

Is it up, or down, stable or raging? Now or later? Coffee or tea? Toxic black-box "lifesaving" drugs or Cocktails?

Nuts anyone?