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The new epidemic update reflects improved and expanded epidemiological data and analyses that present a better understanding of the global epidemic. These new data and advances in methodology have resulted in substantial revisions from previous estimates. While the global prevalence of HIV infection — the percentage of people infected with HIV — has levelled off, the total number of people living with HIV is increasing because of ongoing HIV infections, combined with longer survival times, in a continuously growing general population. Global HIV incidence — the number of new HIV infections per year — is now estimated to have peaked in the late 1990s at over 3 million [2.4 – 5.1 million] new infections per year, and is estimated in 2007 to be 2.5 million [1.8 – 4.1 million] new infections, an average of more than 6,800 new infections each day. This reflects natural trends in the epidemic, as well as the results of HIV prevention efforts.