In November, 2009 UNAIDS published its annual Epidemic Update stating that the decade had seen a significant decline in new HIV infections. The number of new infections had dropped by 17% since 2001, and thanks to the increased availability of HIV drugs, deaths had declined by 10% over the past five years. Some of the most encouraging signs came from sub-Saharan Africa where 400,000 fewer people were infected in 2008 than at the start of the decade. East Asia also saw a dramatic 25% decrease in annual infections between 2001 and 2008.