Battle Continues To Contain Spread Of A.I.D.S. (Press, 10 January 1986)

On 10 January 1986, Bill Logan, spokesman for the Gay Taskforce, addressed concerns regarding the potential rise of A.I.D.S. cases in New Zealand. His remarks came in response to comments from Kate Leslie, chairwoman of the A.I.D.S. Foundation, who had indicated that cases might increase into the hundreds. As of the current date, New Zealand had officially recorded 14 A.I.D.S. cases. Logan expressed optimism about New Zealand's early awareness and response to A.I.D.S., noting that the country had the opportunity to learn how to prevent its spread. He highlighted that by June 1985, 10 cases had been declared, predicting that the numbers would have typically reached 20 by now, based on standard epidemiological patterns observed elsewhere, where cases tended to double every six months. However, Logan pointed out emerging evidence suggesting that this doubling trend was beginning to slow down in New Zealand. With only 14 cases reported, this figure was significantly lower than anticipated. He indicated that based on projections, one might have expected 40 cases by the coming June, 80 by the end of 1986, and 160 by June 1987. Despite these expectations, Logan believed that the projected escalation would now be less severe. Logan emphasised that while it seemed inevitable that the total number of cases would eventually rise into the hundreds, maintaining the total at "low hundreds" would be considered a significant achievement.

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