Nearly 500 000 people were infected with HIV in 2012 according to the latest study on HIV prevalence by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). The study, National HIV Prevalence, Incidence and Behaviour Survey for 2012, released on Tuesday found that condom use had decreased substantially in the last couple of years, having sex with multiple partners was more common and that South Africans’ knowledge and understanding of HIV and Aids is lower than in 2008.
“We have underestimated our new HIV infections,” said SA Aids Council CEO Dr Fareed Abdullah. “It is a big problem. A staggering quarter of all new cases are people between 15 and 24.”