World AIDS Day: The Facts
The number of HIV diagnoses in the U.S. reached a plateau from 2001-2004, yet gay and bisexual men continue to account for the largest number of new HIV cases, making up 44 percent of new infections reported in 33 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. Click here.
In that same CDC report, New York State accounted for 20 percent of all new infections, with Black men showing the largest increases. Click here.
South African health officials report that an estimated 5.2 million people, or 11 percent of the nation's population, are HIV-infected. The estimate is lower than the health department's most recent number (6.3 million) and higher than the estimate put out by Statistics South Africa (4.5 million), but in any case the researchers said it describes an epidemic that is "massive" and growing. Click here.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has fallen short of its goal of providing life-saving medication to 3 million people living with HIV in poor countries by the end of 2005 and has issued an official apology. WHO did acknowledge that 1 million people are now on medication but exact figures will not be known until next year. Click here.
The Chinese government has introduced a new condom specifically for gay men. Beyond targeting men who have sex with men as a particular at-risk population, it is not known just how this condom differs from any other. However the effort does signify the government’s awareness of a growing problem within an identifiable subsection of the community. Click here.
A substantial number of HIV-positive individuals with proven resistance to antiretroviral drugs had unprotected sex with a partner to whom they could have transmitted drug-resistant HIV, according, the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes. Click here.
Think you know all there is to know about HIV and AIDS? Are you an expert on reproduction and pregnancy? Do you know enough about condoms and contraception? Is there anything you don't know about sex? Take these quizzes on HIV/AIDS. Click here.
A list of things you can do to educate yourself and others about HIV/AIDS. Click here.
Posted by bernie at December 1, 2005 1:29 AMTrackBack
this is a good post... it is tragic how people within our community have yet to grasp the seriousness of the issue of having safe sex...i often wonder what it will take for people to wake up....
Posted by: P. Alonzo Harris Jr. at December 1, 2005 8:04 AMAn important post for an important issue. AIDS can be done within two generations if everyone were to protect themselves and each other. Thanks for the recognition of the seriousness of this epidemic. Hopefully your words go far enough.
Me.
Posted by: Reg at December 1, 2005 5:45 PM