The importance of developing a vaccine for herpes infections is highlighted by a new report showing one in five people live with most common form of genital infection. Updated World Health Organization estimates show 1 in 5 people aged under 50 have genital herpes.

Did you know there has been a hidden epidemic sweeping the world? A new study finds nearly a billion people are dealing with a painful and socially traumatizing infection that has no cure. More than one in five people between the ages of 15 and 49 are living with genital herpes — a staggering statistic that reveals a global health challenge largely shrouded in silence and stigma.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has revealed that approximately 846 million people aged 15-49 are living with genital herpes infections, accounting for more than one in five of this age group globally.