For the first time since 1983, AIDS has been dropped from the list of top 10 causes of death in New York City, reports New York Daily News.
“It’s a tribute to the efforts that have been made…in tackling this epidemic. We are seeing some success,” New York health commissioner Mary Basset said during a City Council budget hearing.
“In some areas of the country, there’s been a growing concern about rising incidents in [men who have sex with men],” she continued. “We haven’t seen that in New York City.”
Statistics from the city’s Department of Health list AIDS as the number nine killer in 2011, with 766 reported deaths.
A year later, that number dropped to 609.
The number of new HIV infections in New York has remained steady or declined each year.
While there is still work to do, these latest statistics serve as another hopeful sign for the future. Last September, United Nations officials said the global HIV/AIDS epidemic could be over by 2030 as a result of advancements in treatment, control, and prevention of the virus.
Reid Condit
And how many years has it been since gay bathhouses were allowed to reopen in NYC? At least 16 I would guess, which would indicate little or no connection between the current behavior of gay/bi men in gay bathhouses and HIV/AIDS prevalence. And yet in San Francisco, the Health Dept. continues to promote the likely unconstitutional ban on privacy in gay sex venues, keeping bathhouses shuttered, although they operate freely in Berkeley and San Jose. What is wrong with the gay political establishment in SF? Almost every thing. Throw the bums out — one in particular who professes to represent the Castro.
ShowMeGuy
This is all well and good, however the infection rates of those under the age of 30 is shocking and should be of great concern. The success of medications which suppress the effects of aids and the creation of better drugs with milder side-effects gives off a magical illusion that aids is under control. However…..AIDS is not over.
Reid Condit
So what are the infection rates of those under 30? Show me, guy. Merely to say “shocking” is not good enough. On the other hand is anybody saying AIDS is over? I don’t think so.
Stache1
@Reid Condit: Per the CDC..Age
More infections occurred among young people under 30 (aged 13 – 29)
than any other age group (34%, or 19,200) (Figure 8), followed by individuals
30 – 39 (31%, or 17,400). These data confirm that HIV is an epidemic
primarily of young people and underscores the critical need to reach each new
generation of young people with HIV prevention services. Individuals over
age 50 continue to represent a relatively small proportion of new infections.
Stache1
@Reid Condit: Not really all that shocking though. Young’ns have this indestructible feeling about themselves mixed with raging hormones. Now if it became an epidemic among senors then I’d be truly shocked.