CAPE TOWN, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The estimated overall HIV prevalence rate is approximately 13.5 percent among the South African population, according to figures released on Monday.
South Africa's total number of people living with HIV stands at approximately 7.97 million in 2019, a sharp increase from an estimated 4.25 million in 2002, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) said in its latest population estimate.
This indicates that South Africa has the biggest and most high-profile HIV epidemic in the world, accounting for a third of all new HIV infections in southern Africa.
In 2018, South Africa's registered total number of people living with HIV stood at 7.52 million, making up 13.1 percent of the total population of 57.7 million then.
For adults aged between 15 and 49 years, an estimated 19.07 percent of the population is HIV positive in mid-year 2019, Stats SA said.
The agency also said South Africa's mid-year population is estimated to have increased to 58.78 million in 2019.
Life expectancy at birth for 2019 is estimated at 61.5 years for males and 67.7 years for females. The infant mortality rate for 2019 is estimated at 22.1 deaths per 1,000 live births, according to the agency.
