http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8091489.stm#South Africa's HIV epidemic has levelled off at an infection rate of 10.9% for those aged two or older, according to a new study.
The survey also suggests the rate of infection in children and teenagers could be falling.
This could be partly attributed to increased use of condoms, it says.But the survey warned that the overall situation remained "dire". South Africa has the world's largest HIV-positive population, at 5.5 million.
Women aged between 20 and 34 continued to be the worst affected, with 33% carrying HIV, the report by the Human Sciences Research Council said.
Olive Shisana, an author of the study of 20,826 people released on Tuesday, said there were "promising findings of a changing pattern of HIV infection among children and youth".
"The good news is that the change in HIV prevalence in children is most likely attributable to the successful implementation of several HIV-prevention interventions," she said.
