Zimbabwe has
registered a 2.5% decline in its HIV infection rate, and the
number of AIDS deaths also is dropping, the government said
Thursday, crediting its ''tireless efforts'' to fight
the pandemic.
Quoting figures
it said were verified by the United Nations, the Ministry
of Health said the HIV rate dropped from 18.1% in people
aged 15 to 49 years last year to 15.6% this year.
AIDS deaths also
have decreased, down to 2,214 a week from around 2,500 a
week, according to the new statistics.
A researcher at
London's Imperial College who helped work on the figures
said the trends presented were as accurate as possible given
the available data, according to college spokeswoman
Laura Gallagher. The UNAIDS agency was not immediately
available for comment. (AP)