By Michael Petrelis of http://mpetrelis.blogspot.com
Last week I learned from San Francisco health department HIV/STD reports that annual HIV rates for the city have dropped 44% and monthly HIV stats from the City Clinic are down 27%, and seeing such dramatic declines got me curious about the figures for New York City. To my delight, the Big Apple's HIV infections are also tumbling down. NYC's Department of Health's annual HIV epi reports show the following stats, which are from page two of the annual reports:
2006
Total HIV diagnoses: 3,745
Sub-total, HIV stats without AIDS: 2,783
2005
Total HIV diagnoses: 3,972
Sub-total, HIV stats without AIDS: 2,944
2004
Total HIV diagnoses: 3,980
Sub-total, HIV stats without AIDS: 2,936
2003
Total HIV diagnoses: 4,481
Sub-total, HIV stats without AIDS: 3,425
2002
Total HIV diagnoses: 4,992
Sub-total, HIV stats without AIDS: 3,895
2001
Total HIV diagnoses: 5,524
Sub-total, HIV stats without AIDS: 4,314
What we have here with the NYC numbers is a 32% drop in total HIV diagnoses, and a decrease of 35% in HIV stats without AIDS. I find the good news from San Francisco and New York City, arguably America's two hardest-hit cities grappling with HIV/AIDS for more than 25 years, that both metropolises are witnessing continuing and sustained falls in new infections, worth noting and wish that the press and community-based organizations would start recognizing the declines and discussing them with the gay community. - Michael Petrelis
Last week I learned from San Francisco health department HIV/STD reports that annual HIV rates for the city have dropped 44% and monthly HIV stats from the City Clinic are down 27%, and seeing such dramatic declines got me curious about the figures for New York City. To my delight, the Big Apple's HIV infections are also tumbling down. NYC's Department of Health's annual HIV epi reports show the following stats, which are from page two of the annual reports:
2006
Total HIV diagnoses: 3,745
Sub-total, HIV stats without AIDS: 2,783
2005
Total HIV diagnoses: 3,972
Sub-total, HIV stats without AIDS: 2,944
2004
Total HIV diagnoses: 3,980
Sub-total, HIV stats without AIDS: 2,936
2003
Total HIV diagnoses: 4,481
Sub-total, HIV stats without AIDS: 3,425
2002
Total HIV diagnoses: 4,992
Sub-total, HIV stats without AIDS: 3,895
2001
Total HIV diagnoses: 5,524
Sub-total, HIV stats without AIDS: 4,314
What we have here with the NYC numbers is a 32% drop in total HIV diagnoses, and a decrease of 35% in HIV stats without AIDS. I find the good news from San Francisco and New York City, arguably America's two hardest-hit cities grappling with HIV/AIDS for more than 25 years, that both metropolises are witnessing continuing and sustained falls in new infections, worth noting and wish that the press and community-based organizations would start recognizing the declines and discussing them with the gay community. - Michael Petrelis