The news is generally not good and won't be for quite a long time, but there is hope for a world without HIV/AIDS, someday. Here are some bits from the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and World Health Organization (WHO) 2009 global report sorted by geographic region.

Sub-Saharan Africa

The rate of new HIV infections in Sub-Saharan Africa has slowly declined—with the number of new infections in 2008 approximately 25% lower than at the epidemic’s peak in the region in 1995. Sub-Saharan Africa remains the region most heavily affected by HIV. In 2008, sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 67% of HIV infections worldwide, 68% of new HIV infections among adults and 91% of new HIV infections among children.

Asia

In 2008, 4.7 million [3.8 million–5.5 million] people in Asia were living with HIV, including 350 000 [270 000–410 000] who became newly infected last year. Asia’s epidemic peaked in the mid-1990s, and annual HIV incidence has subsequently declined by more than half, although HIV prevalence is increasing in some parts of the region, such as Bangladesh and Pakistan. With the exception of Thailand, every country in Asia has an adult HIV prevalence of less than 1%.

Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Eastern Europe and Central Asia is the only region where HIV prevalence clearly remains on the rise. An estimated 110 000 [100 000–130 000] people were newly infected with HIV in 2008, bringing the number of people living with HIV in Eastern Europe and Central Asia to 1.5 million [1.4 million–1.7 million], compared with 900 000 [800 000–1 000 000] in 2001, a 66% increase over that time period. Ukraine and the Russian Federation are experiencing especially severe and growing national epidemics.

The Caribbean

The Caribbean has been more heavily affected by HIV than any region outside sub-Saharan Africa, with the second highest level of adult HIV prevalence (1.0% [0.9–1.1%]). AIDS-related illnesses were the fourth leading cause of death among Caribbean women in 2004 and the fifth leading cause of death among Caribbean men.

Latin America

The latest epidemiological data suggest that the epidemic in Latin America remains stable. With a regional HIV prevalence of 0.6% [0.5–0.6%], Latin America is primarily home to low-level and concentrated epidemics. As a general rule, however, surveillance systems need to be strengthened in Latin America in order to provide a stronger evidence base for national planning.

North America and Western and Central Europe

Between 2000 and 2007, the rate of newly reported cases of HIV infection in Europe nearly doubled. In 2008, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (USA) estimated that annual HIV incidence has remained relatively stable in the USA since the early 1990s. In Canada, official epidemiological estimates suggest that annual HIV incidence may have increased between 2002 and 2005. Although HIV incidence has either remained relatively stable or increased slightly in high-income countries in recent years, epidemiological patterns indicate that the number of new HIV infections among men who have sex with men has increased in the past decade, while rates of new infections among injecting drug users have fallen.

Middle East and North Africa

An acute shortage of timely and reliable epidemiological and behavioural data has long hindered a clear understanding of HIV-related dynamics and trends in the Middle East and North Africa. While some have asserted that cultural values in the region provide a sort of ‘immunity’ against HIV, others have asserted that substantial HIV transmission is occurring but is unrecorded.

Oceania

There is generally a very low HIV prevalence in Oceania compared with other regions. In the small island nations that make up most of the countries in the region, adult HIV prevalence tends to be well below 0.1%. Likewise, with an estimated HIV prevalence of 0.2%, Australia’s epidemic is considerably less severe than those of any other high-income country. While most epidemics in the region appear to be stable, new infections in Papua New Guinea and Fiji are on the rise.