A child, youth under 20 infected with HIV every 100 secs in 2019: UN

A child or a young person under 20 years was newly infected with HIV at least once every 100 seconds last year, a new UNICEF report has revealed.

This brings the total number of children living with the disease globally to 2.8 million, the UN body said, adding that close to 3.2 lakh children and adolescents were newly infected with HIV and 1.1 lakh children died of AIDS last year.

The total number of children in the 0-9 age group living with HIV has risen to 1.1 million while the number of adolescents has risen to 1.7 million, the UN said.

The report calls on stakeholders to maintain health services to fight the battle, which has become tougher amid the pandemic.