Illinois: New AIDS Cases Dip in State

Figures released Monday by the Illinois Department of Public Health showed that new AIDS cases fell slightly in the state in 2005. A day before National AIDS Testing Day, the department announced there were 1,366 new AIDS cases reported in 2005, down from 1,410 the year before. HIV cases rose to 2,540 from 2,523. Combined, the state saw 3,906 HIV and AIDS cases in 2005, compared to 3,933 cases in 2004. Despite the decline, health officials spoke of worrisome trends: not enough people are being tested; and blacks are still disproportionately affected by the disease.

"We should be cautious about considering [the figures released Monday] a victory," said David Ernesto Munar, associate director of the nonprofit AIDS Foundation of Chicago. Based on national CDC figures, Munar estimated that 10,000 people with HIV/AIDS in Illinois have not been diagnosed.

"We're still seeing significant numbers of HIV and AIDS cases in populations of color," said Munar. "It's going to take decades of work to reverse that trend. We can't be lulled into thinking we've turned the corner because we haven't."

Although African Americans make up roughly 15 percent of the state's population, they accounted for about half of all the HIV/AIDS cases reported in Illinois in 2004 and 2005, according to statistics. Erik Whitaker, director of the state public health department, said he is most concerned with younger people contracting HIV. Seventy-seven percent of people with HIV/AIDS in 2005 were ages 18-44, he said.

"African-American youth, that would be, to me, the cause of the most urgency, particularly when you have folks of child-bearing age," Whitaker said.

To encourage testing and awareness in the black community, in September the state launched Brothers and Sisters United Against HIV/AIDS. Events included a rap concert featuring local performer Twista, where people lined up to get tested, according to officials.

Back to other news for June 28, 2006