In 1996, 24,920 cases of AIDS were reported in the WHO European Region, bringing the cumulative total to 185,808 cases. For the first time since the start of the epidemic, the number of cases reported during the year decreased compared to the previous year (-5% between 1995 and 1996, after increasing by 1% between 1994 and 1995). This information is provided by the European Centre for the Epidemiological Monitoring of AIDS, taken from Report No. 52, dated December 31, 1996. (adapted from the text).