(Washington) When the CDC announced this summer that new HIV infections in the U.S. have been 40 percent higher annually than previously had been estimated, a key part of the equation was left out of the story:  No vaccine or cure is in sight and, yet, new HIV infections are down from 130,000 annually from the peak of the epidemic with HIV prevention efforts having played a critical role in this reduction. 

The fund is launching “Light to Unite,” a public awareness and fundraising campaign that it says is the largest public-private partnership focused on increasing awareness about the U.S. epidemic on World AIDS Day. 

“Light to Unite” is a collaboration between the NAF and Bristol-Myers Squibb to encourage individuals to get involved and make a difference in the struggle against HIV/AIDS.

Individuals can light a virtual candle online at www.LightToUnite.org while learning new facts about HIV/AIDS, and share their knowledge and personal experiences with others. They also can also make a donation to the National AIDS Fund on the website.  The fund says that one-hundred percent of the donated funds will be distributed to organizations that serve individuals and communities impacted by HIV/AIDS.

Light to Unite events will also take place in communities nationwide. 

Through its Community Partnerships, the National AIDS Fund supports over 400 direct service organizations across the country that provide important services, such as HIV prevention programs, HIV testing, referrals to treatment, and supportive services.

“We—individuals, foundations, and corporations—have the power to set a different course,” said Kandy Ferree, president and CEO, the National AIDS Fund. “Collaborations like Light to Unite change lives by increasing awareness, reducing stigma, and directing resources to the communities most impacted by HIV/AIDS.”

At least 56,300 people in the country are infected with HIV annually now — a number 40 percent higher than what was previously estimated although prevention has brought infections down from 130,000 a year since the height of the epidemic in the 1980s. In total over 1.1 million individuals are living with HIV/AIDS.

Over 50 percent of all new HIV infections are among those under age 25 and women now account for 25 percent of new HIV cases.

African American adults and teens are nine times more likely than whites, to receive an AIDS diagnosis. Although Latinos represent approximately 15 percent of the U.S. population, they have been accounting for 19 percent of AIDS cases. The Southern U.S. accounts for 46 percent of all new AIDS cases.