One Victim A Minute Catching A.i.d.s.? (Press, 6 October 1988)

A recent report from the Panos Institute has highlighted the alarming global spread of the A.I.D.S. virus, which is occurring at an estimated rate of nearly one new infection per minute. The report, titled “A.I.D.S. and the Third World,” predicts that 150,000 new cases of full-blown A.I.D.S. will be documented in 1988, a figure that matches the cumulative total of cases reported since the epidemic began. In New Zealand, there have been 25 cases of A.I.D.S. per million inhabitants, compared to 54 cases per million in Australia. Dr Jonathan Mann, the director of the World Health Organisation’s A.I.D.S. programme, indicated in a statement from Vienna that he anticipates around one million new A.I.D.S. cases to be reported over the next five years, aligning with the projections made in the Panos Institute report. Currently, he estimates that there are at least 250,000 reported A.I.D.S. cases globally, with between five million and 10 million people infected with the H.I.V. virus—though asymptomatic. A.I.D.S., or acquired immune deficiency syndrome, compromises the immune system, making individuals more susceptible to diseases. The primary modes of transmission are through sexual contact and the sharing of syringes among drug users, as well as through unscreened blood transfusions in some countries. As of mid-1988, 176 countries had joined the World Health Organisation’s reporting network for A.I.D.S., with 138 countries confirming cases of the disease and 151 forming national A.I.D.S. committees. French Guiana is reported as the worst-affected area, with 113 A.I.D.S. cases among its population of 82,000. Among the 20 countries most affected by A.I.D.S., 19 are located in Africa or the Caribbean. The United States ranks fifth, reporting 65,780 cases within a population of approximately 243.8 million. Switzerland leads in Europe among the most affected countries. The report also details a rising trend of countries imposing A.I.D.S.-related entry restrictions for foreigners and citizens returning from abroad. By June 1988, 29 countries had enacted such restrictions—double the number from the previous year. Impacted countries include Belgium, China, Egypt, and the United States, among others. Finland, Israel, Japan, Jamaica, and South Korea were noted to be contemplating similar measures. The findings underscore the urgent need for heightened awareness and action in combating the A.I.D.S. epidemic globally, as well as the social and health implications of increasing restrictions on movement in response to the disease. No cure for A.I.D.S. has yet been discovered, making prevention and awareness critical.

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