AIDS Leading Cause of Death for Jamaicans Between Ages 30-34

AIDS has become the leading cause of death for Jamaicans aged 30 to 34 years old in part because so many cases go undetected, the prime minister said. In 2001, an average of 11 people a week died of the disease, Jamaica's National HIV/SID Prevention and Control Program said Thursday. In a speech to Parliament on Tuesday, Minister of Health John Junor said that stopping the further spread of HIV demanded new programs and attitudes from both government and society. "We need to examine our attitudes toward the disease and persons who are HIV-positive," Junor said.

The government estimates there are 24,000 cases in the Caribbean country of 2.6 million, but it has registered only 6,088 cases. "This means that thousand of persons are unaware of their HIV-positive status," said Junor, and "are spreading the disease." The government estimates that 83 percent of Jamaicans who are HIV-positive are heterosexual, and that the disease is spread mostly through multiple sex partners.

Back to other CDC news for March 8, 2002

Previous Updates